Centre Gears up for 1st Slot of Covid Vaccines; These Indian Citizens will Get First Preference

Amid the third wave of Corona crisis, center is showing a ray of hope to its citizens regarding novel corona vaccine. Moreover, it's a great news all the frontline workers, medical workers and elderly people.

The existing cold chain facilities in India are capable of storing the first shipment of nearly three crore novel corona virus vaccines that have been earmarked for frontline healthcare and medical workers, the Health Ministry said Tuesday evening.

The government had earlier also indicated that old people suffering from serious medical conditions will be given priority too.

As per sources, Delhi and Hyderabad airports have already begun prepping temperature-controlled containers and zones to store millions of doses expected to be made available over the next few weeks and months.

Both airports, which already have advanced pharma and vaccine storage and processing zones, also have special "cool chambers" in which temperature can be set as low as -20 degrees Celsius and "cool dollies", or special trolleys that ensure vaccines are protected (and optimum temperatures maintained) during movement of cargo between the aircraft and cargo terminal.

On the other hand, both airports, which operated as major hubs in the early days of the pandemic and transported millions of PPE kits, medical supplies and perishable goods, have also taken steps to minimise human contact with the chain of transportation and storage of the vaccine doses.

Every single Indian who needs to be vaccinated will be vaccinated. The vaccination drive, the largest of its kind, could go on for a year or more,” Bhushan said, adding the priority groups need not run sequentially. Once supply of vaccine starts increasing, people from different groups can be inoculated simultaneously.