Odisha Govt Stops Drive-In and Doorstep Vaccination

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government stops drive-in and doorstep Covid vaccination started in some parts of the state for the elderly people. 

Recently Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Cuttack Municipal Corporation, Berhampur Municipal Corporation and Rourkela Municipal Corporation, are some of the municipal corporations which have launched the drive-in or door-step Covid vaccination facilities to vaccinate senior citizens in their areas.

On Wednesday, the Health and Family Welfare Department has directed district collectors and municipal corporations to refrain from such activities.

Additional Chief Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department, PK Mohapatra issued an order to all the concerned authorities stating that drive-in and doorstep vaccination is not allowed as per the guidelines of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Mohapatra stated ,“In drive-in or doorstep strategies, it will be difficult to manage Adverse Effects Following Immunization (AEFI), if it occurs, and there is also high likelihood of vaccine wastage.”

As per the government guidelines, vaccination sessions shall be conducted in places with adequate space for waiting area, vaccination room and observation room and have adequate facility to manage AEFI. Vaccinated person also needs to be observed for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, the state government has given permission to three private hospitals to start vaccination. SUM Hospital (Bhubaneswar), Christian Hospital (Berhampur) and Kishore Hospital (Bargarh) will start Covid vaccination. These hospitals have contacted Serum Institute of India (SII) to procure 12,000 doses of Covishield vaccine each.