All set for vaccine rollout

On standby are emergency medical teams and ambulances

Hospitals in Bengaluru are all set to administer Covid vaccines from January 16 to their staff in one of the biggest immunisation campaigns ever.

Everyone in healthcare — from doctors to housekeeping staff — gets the shot first in Phase 1, starting on Saturday.

Five thousand staffers at St John’s Medical College Hospital, Koramangala, are getting ready for the shot, according to Dr Sanjiv Lewin, chief of medical services.

“We have created a special section in a block previously used for Covid care. We hope to get all staff vaccinated within 10 to 15 days. The target is to vaccinate at least 900 a day,” explains Dr Lewin.

The hospital can store at least 2,000 doses. Its freezers, with a capacity of 250 to 300 litres, also store vaccines for BCG, chicken pox and polio.

“The freezers will be upgraded to store the Covid vaccines,” he adds. Every health worker has to register on the Co-WIN system of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, designed for end-to-end tracking of Covid vaccines.

The staff sign a consent form and register on a government app, and can’t walk in to have a vaccination done.

“After the vaccination, they spend 30 minutes under observation. We have medical teams with central oxygen to deal with any emergency,” he explains.

Victoria Hospital has under its wing Minto, Vani Vilas, Trauma Care Centre, and a 203-bed super-speciality tertiary care hospital.

About 6,100 staff are set to receive the vaccine. Dr C R Jayanthi, director and dean, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, told Metrolife, “We follow government instructions. As far as we know the vaccines have minimum side effects. Taking it could bring down the threat of a second wave, protect those with comorbidities, and prevent further hospitalisation.”

She said the Prime Minister’s Office has identified two vaccination sites - Victoria Hospital, BMCRI, and Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubballi - in Karnataka, to collect feedback after the vaccination on January 16.

Hemanth Kumar, nodal officer, Aster CMI and Aster RV Hospitals, says about 2,000 of its staff will be vaccinated. “A mock drill is complete and the manpower and logistics are in place,” he says.

Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases has 283 lined up for vaccination, according to Dr C Nagaraj, director.

Some challenges

Randeep D, BBMP special commissioner, in charge of overseeing the vaccination drive under his zone, says the process is similar to voting.

“We have to first ensure that the database is perfect. There must be enough vaccinators to prevent long queues. We will also have to cross-check to avoid impersonation and cheating,” says Randeep.

The authorities also have to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity and keep an ambulance on standby.

What is Co-WIN?

It is an app connected to a central database that links every dose to its individual beneficiary. Details such as name of vaccine, batch, and manufacturing date are entered in the electronic database. Every vial is tracked up to the last mile, doctors say. It can eventually be used by everyone to sign up for vaccine shots. It is now open only to government and healthcare officials.

Wallet factor

The prime minister says the first three crore will be given the vaccination free. There is no clarity on whether the rest have to pay, or the state governments have to pick up the tab. Covishield costs Rs 200 a dose, according to the Serum Institute of India. Those who want the vaccine must sign up on the Co-Win app. It is not open to everyone at the moment. A government-issued proof of identity is necessary for sign-ups.

Helplines

1075: National helpline for vaccine and medical queries.

0120-4473222: Technical helpline for Co-WIN software-related queries.

Questions persist

Two brands have received the government’s green signal: Serum Institute of India’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. Many questions persist, as Covaxin has got emergency use approval even before completing Phase 3 clinical trials. Chattisgarh, with a Congress government, is citing safety concerns and has announced it will not accept Covaxin.

Questions? Read this

Can anyone sign up for a vaccine?
Not at the moment. Healthcare workers get priority.

Can a beneficiary choose the brand of vaccine?
Hospitals are not clear about this yet. The first consignment of Covishield from Pune reached Bengaluru on January 12. The consignment had 64,750 vials, each with 10 doses, adding to up to a total of 6.47 lakh doses. The second consignment arrives in Belagavi on January 13.

How long will the first phase of vaccination last?
The vaccination in the first phase is from January 16 till February end, wherein the frontline workers will be covered. The second dose will be administered to frontline workers 28 days after the first one.

Is vaccination mandatory for health staff and citizens?
No, they can choose not to take it.