Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa-led panel to monitor Covid vaccination process in state

A state-level steering committee headed by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa will be formed to monitor Covid-19 vaccination in Karnataka even as the government has identified 29,451 vaccination sites.

Speaking after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s video conference on Tuesday with the Chief Minister to chalk out the vaccination strategy, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the government is planning to replicate arrangements made during elections to administer the vaccine to the population.

“Prime Minister Modi has said that arrangements for vaccination centres must be similar to preparations at the booth level for elections. These centres should be formed and workers should be trained for the exercise,” Bommai said.

Besides the state-level steering committee, district and taluk-level steering committees will also monitor vaccination drives at the local level.

A digital platform will be developed to collate inoculation data, as people who are vaccinated might require two or three doses to achieve resistance to the Covid-19 virus, the minister informed.

The vaccine will be distributed on priority to 30 crore people in the country, which will include one crore health workers, two crore corona warriors, 26 crore citizens aged above 50 and the remaining for those with comorbidities, Bommai pointed out.

As many as 50 vaccines are undergoing clinical research throughout the world.

Of them, some 25 vaccines are in an advanced trial stage and five are undergoing trials in India. Companies such as Bharat Biotech, Dr Reddy’s Lab, PharmaGenica are ready to manufacture different vaccine candidates when they are cleared by regulatory bodies, Bommai said.

Since the exact date for vaccination is still unclear, people should be wary of the disease as the battle against Covid-19 will continue, he added.

Meanwhile, Health Minister K Sudhakar said the government has identified 29,451 vaccination sites and 10,008 vaccinators in keeping with the Universal Immunisation Programme norms. Karnataka has around 2,855 cold chain points for vaccine storage and distribution, Sudhakar said.

“Three new regional vaccine stores — Bengaluru Urban, Shivamogga and Ballari — have been proposed. These newly proposed stores will require additional walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers,” he said, adding that the state already had 10 walk-in coolers and four walk-in freezers.

“The Centre will supply three walk-in coolers and two walk-in freezers for which necessary civil works are being initiated,” he said.