Chennai: 1,200 health workers to take vaccine today – Times of India

Chennai News

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CHENNAI: At least 1,200 healthcare providers in the city will extend their left arms to receive the Covid-19 vaccine at a dozen centres in the city on Saturday.
Around 4.9lakh doctors, nurses, medicos, paramedics and other hospital workers in Tamil Nadu have been listed under the CoWin portal for vaccination for the first phase. On Friday, the first batch of beneficiaries was allotted 166 centres closest to them. “We will do about 100 vaccinations at each centre a day. Each vaccination should take not more than six minutes. This includes identity verification, updating portal, counselling and injection, said joint director (immunisation) Dr K Vinay Kumar.
Health minister C Vijayabaskar said every beneficiary will receive 0.5ml of the vaccine on his/her left arm. “The syringes used will be disabled after that. All safety precautions including essential lifesaving and first aid drugs have been stocked to handle adverse events. They are rare but we are prepared. Everyone who takes the vaccine is allowed to exit only after they spend 30minutes in the observation room,” he said.
The centre has allotted Tamil Nadu 5.56 lakh doses – 5.36 lakh doses of Oxford vaccine Covishield, manufactured by Pune’s Serum Institute, and 20,000 doses of Covaxin, manufactured by Bharat Biotech. While Covisheild will be available at all centres, at least 18,000 doses of Covaxin has been stocked in six centres across the state – Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Government Chengalpet Medical College Hospital, Government Pudukottai Medical College Hospital, Government Thanjavur Medical College Hospital, Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital and Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital. “Beneficiaries in these centres have the option to choose between the vaccines. If they choose Covaxin, they will be asked to sign a consent form. The form is available in English and Tamil,” Dr Vinay Kumar said While some senior doctors said they did not mind taking either vaccine, the Tamil Nadu government doctors association (TNGDA) has advised all its members to opt for Covishield as the vector-based vaccine is in use for nearly two months without any major side effects reported. The directorate of public health said doctors will be given the option.
All doctors’ bodies, however, recommend vaccination for all healthcare providers.
From Saturday, beneficiaries will receive a message on their phones about the centre and time for vaccination a day before the schedule, officials said. “The Cowin portal will also generate reminders for the booster dose and issue the certificate of vaccination after two doses,” director of public health Dr TS Selvavinayagam said.

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Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/chennai-1200-health-workers-to-take-vaccine-today/articleshow/80298857.cms