9,617 healthcare workers will receive vaccination in the first phase. In the second phase, other frontline warriors will be inoculated. In the third and fourth phase, persons above 50 years of age and people below 50 years of age with co-morbidity will be vaccinated respectively.
TFM Desk
As Manipur begins the vaccination drive of COVID-19 vaccine (Covishield) on Saturday, chief minister N Biren Singh urged the public not to make negative comments about the vaccine without “valid scientific proof”. As it may create suspicion and hesitation in people’s mind, such persons can be penalized under relevant Acts, the chief minister cautioned.
Biren was speaking at the launching of the historic vaccination drive in a function held at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS). N Romesh, an attendant of JNIMS, became the first beneficiary of the state. As many as 9,617 healthcare workers will receive vaccination in the first phase.
The first phase vaccination in the state will be carried out in ten centres: JNIMS Hospital, RIMS Hospital, Shija Hospitals and Research Institute and District Hospitals of Churachandpur, Bishnupur, Senapati, Chandel, Ukhrul, Thoubal, Tamenglong. In the second phase, other frontline warriors will be inoculated. In the third and fourth phase, persons above 50 years of age and people below 50 years of age with co-morbidity will be vaccinated respectively.
The chief minister further said that containing such a highly contagious virus in a largely populated country like India, having a population of more than 130 crore people can’t be easy at all. If it were not for the farsighted vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his timely effective preventive measures, the country could have experienced transmission and casualty in greater scale. Under his supervision, he said, and added that India took up preventive measures as early as January 2020.
In Manipur as well, Biren said that the state government announced lockdown even before the Union government announced it. He also said that the state government also whole-heartedly took up different measures to contain the virus at maximum level.
Despite criticism from some sections of the public, Manipur was among the few states which brought back its citizens in Shramik trains, he added. The state also not only opened quarantine centres and COVID Care Centres on time but also acquired necessary equipment and recruited required manpower without any delay, he added.
Biren also appreciated the hard work of researchers and scientists of the country for developing COVID vaccines on time. No matter, people and the government have received a huge relief with this invention, the lesson of being kind to every creature and the nature, which COVID pandemic has taught, must never be forgotten, he added.
Developed by Oxford University and Astra-Zeneca and manufactured by Serum Institute of India, Covishield has already undergone the required 3 levels of human trials. The Drugs Controller General of India has declared it safe, immunogenic and efficacious. 54,000 doses of the vaccine arrived in the state on January 13.
The state government has identified and kept ready 246 session sites spread across 16 districts for vaccination. All these sites have been checked through Dry Runs.
The health advisor to CM Dr Sapam Ranjan, chief secretary Rajesh Kumar, additional chief secretary P Vaiphei, Health Services director Dr K Rajo, Family Welfare Services director Dr P Shyamsundar, State Mission Director of National Health Mission Dr N Shyamjai and JNIMS director Prof Th Bhimo were also seated on the dais.