24,000 health workers at 243 sites in Karnataka to be vaccinated on Jan 16

As many as 24,300 health workers will be vaccinated in 243 vaccination sites across Karnataka on Saturday. Karnataka has seen registration of health workers on Co-WIN portal exceed by 43% above the set target.

In all, the state has seen 7,17,439 health workers register for a Covid vaccine jab against 8,14,500 doses of both Covishield and Covaxin vaccines received in the state till now. The quantity is enough to vaccinate around four lakh health workers. Further vaccine consignments are expected in the coming days, said Health Minister K Sudhakar.

Among 100 beneficiaries at each vaccination site, safai karamcharis and group ‘D’ workers, have been consciously included so that one of them is the first to receive the vaccine at the site.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the vaccination drive in Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI), Sudhakar said. Asked about whether elected representatives will get the vaccine to boost public confidence, he said: “Politicians would have been given the vaccine in the first phase, but health warriors who are on the frontline in the fight against coronavirus will be given priority. Persons with comorbidities are the next priority.”

“Emergency medical services will be available at the site of vaccination if any side effects occur in anybody. People are being misled by rumours spreading on social media. Only information provided in official government handles are authentic,” Sudhakar said.

The state has 10 walk-in coolers, four walk-in freezers, 3,210 ice-lined refrigerators, 3,312 cold boxes, 46,591 vaccine carriers and 2,25,749 ice packs. A total of 31 control rooms have been established including one in Bengaluru.

Each control room will have a 24/7 helpline. State-level control rooms will be involved in day-to-day planning, especially mobilisation of human and other resources like transport, inter-sectoral coordination, implementation and monitoring of activities during vaccination rollout.

Out of 591 healthcare workers listed in BMCRI, 100 were selected and 15 were shortlisted for live interaction with the PM. These 15 consist of five doctors, five staff nurses and five group ‘D’ staff. Three motivational speakers have also been asked to speak to the beneficiaries.

“The first to be given the shot will definitely be a group ‘D’ worker, as per protocol. But we were told the PM wanted to speak to the beneficiaries after getting the vaccine, so we have selected these 15,” said a senior Victoria hospital doctor overseeing the arrangements in BMCRI.