As preparations begin to vaccinate the age group of 18-44 years, the State Health Society, NHM on Sunday issued protocols to be followed at COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs). However, the vaccination for the age group is yet to begin in Manipur due to a reported delay in sending the vaccine consignments.
The office memorandum of State Health Society issued by its director Dr N Shyamjai Singh informed all the District Family Welfare Officers (DFWOs) and District Immunisation Officers (DIOs) to maintain strict protocols at CVCs.
It mentioned that vaccination for the first dose should be given to 100 beneficiaries per day at each CVCs on a first come first serve basis with a token system. Token should be strictly given only to beneficiaries on reaching the vaccine centres, it stated.
There will be no such restriction for the eligible beneficiaries for the second dose of vaccination, it added. DFWOs/DIOs are to ensure that the vaccination is conducted only at designated CVCs at government health facilities and other eligible private hospitals to manage in event of any reported cases of Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI). The camp-based approach of vaccination in the community should be avoided, it added.
It mentioned that COVID vaccination for the age group 18-44 years shall commence as soon as the manufacturers send the vaccine consignment to the state. The state has placed an order of three lakh to Serum Institute of India, Pune and the delivery schedule is still awaited, it added.
The public will be informed in advance once the arrival date of the vaccine is confirmed for initiating the COVID vaccination, it added.
Meanwhile, the required logistics are being taken up for a successful roll out of the third phase of vaccination programme for the age group of 18-44 years, it further stated, adding the DFWOs/DIOs are informed to communicate the same to the relevant beneficiaries.
The office memorandum further mentioned that the measures are initiated to avoid overcrowding at the CVCs as well as to maintain SOP view of the increasing COVID cases in the state. “Opening of new CVCs whichever public health facility meeting criteria shall be taken up and register in COWIN,” it added
It further requested the staff concerned in particular and public in general to cooperate with the initiatives taken by State Health Society as following the protocols will help the vaccinators effectively provide the service and further control the spread of the infection.
