Odisha receives first consignment of Covid-19 vaccine

TBB BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, JANUARY 12, 2021

Odisha received the first consignment of the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday.

A consignment consisting of 34 boxes of Covishield vaccine, manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII), arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here on a special flight from Pune, informed State Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), PK Mohapatra.

The Serum Institute of India (SII) has sent a consignment of 40,800 vials of Covishield vaccine having 4.08 lakh doses.

“Our officials received the consignment and took them to the state vaccine centre amidst tight security,” Mohapatra said.

Odisha has been allotted 4.08 lakh doses of Covishield and 20,000 doses of Covaxin. While the health workers including doctors, nurses and paramedical staff will be administered vaccines in the first phase, the front line workers like police, para-military and Disaster Management personnel and Revenue Department officials will be vaccinated in the second phase.

Mohapatra said the state government has furnished a database of 3.28 lakh health workers to the Centre for vaccination in the first phase.

The state has already identified 162 vaccination sites where people will get their much desired corona vaccine, he said.

Meanwhile, the official said the state government has already conducted a dry run for vaccination twice this month on January 2 and January 8.