Three sites have been selected to conduct coronavirus vaccine dry run across Delhi today. The drive will be conducted in the Maternity and Child Welfare (MCW) centre in Daryaganj, Guru Teg Bahadur hospital and Venkateshwara hospital.
The objective of conducting the dry run for coronavirus vaccines is to "assess operational feasibility in the use of COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network (Co-WIN) application in field environment, to test the linkages between planning and implementation and to identify the challenges and guide the way forward prior to actual implementation," according to the Union Health Ministry.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan visited Delhi's Guru Teg Bahadur hospital to review dry run of coronavirus vaccine today. The Central Minister tweeted, "I will be visiting GTB hospital, Delhi to review the dry run of administering the #COVID19vaccine at 09:30 AM today."
During his visit to the GTB hospital today, the Central Minister appealed to people to not focus on rumours. The minister told ANI, "I appeal to people not to pay heed to rumours. Ensuring safety and efficacy of vaccine is our priority. Different kinds of rumours were spread during polio immunisation but people took the vaccine and India is now polio-free."
Delhi government is prepared to receive, store and administer coronavirus vaccine to 51 lakh people under the priority category-- healthcare workers, frontline workers, people above 50 years of age, and those below 50 years but with co-morbidities in phase 1 of immunisation, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had said last month.
Meanwhile, Niti Aayog member and head of the national COVID-19 task force, Dr VK Paul said "India will pitch for vaccines for 300 million individuals". He added though healthcare workers will be priority in the first phase of vaccination, preparedness for inoculating other priority groups has also reached advanced stages.
In Hyderabad, the coronavirus vaccine dry run will take place at Nampally's Area hospital. The mock COVID-19 immunisation will be conducted at District Hospital in Pune, Maharashtra.
Also read: Govt to cover vaccination cost of 30 crore priority people: COVID-19 task force head
Also read: COVID-19 vaccine dry run in India today; here's all you need to know