Sikkim, Jan 3: On Saturday, COVID19 vaccination dry run was conducted at the old STNM Hospital, now converted as an Urban Primary Health Centre.
The dry run was conducted smoothly and strengths and disadvantages were known, State Immunisation Officer Dr P Denzongpa said.
State government offices in Sikkim will reopen only after January 4.
Sikkim being a small state, Centre allowed the dry run to be held at only one location, she said.
The COVID-19 vaccination will be different from the regular vaccination programs, informed the state immunisation officer Dr Phumzay Denzongpa. “For other vaccines, those eligible will be getting it, but for COVID-19 vaccination it all depends on the software Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network along with COWIN app portal where the beneficiaries must be registered. Also, it depends on which session and location they registered for the vaccination. It will be like an election with vaccination booths, and the District Administration will decide on the same. They will get information on their mobile phones for vaccination“.
A total of 25 beneficiaries were identified for a COVID19 Vaccination Dry Run (mock drill) and vaccinated as per the given SOP and was reported in the CO-WIN app. A three-room (waiting area, vaccination room, and observation room) was set up for the dry run at UPHC, Gangtok according to operational guidelines.
Sikkim now has 530 active COVID-19 cases, while 5,157 people have recovered so far and one fresh fatality has pushed the state’s coronavirus death toll to 129.
The Himalayan state has so far tested 69,114 samples for COVID-19.
