Dry run for COVID vaccine rollout in 4 states

The government arranged a two-days end-to-end dry run to check the preparations for COVID vaccine roll out in four states—Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, and Punjab. Each State has to carry out the dry run in its two districts and preferably in different session type settings, for example, district hospital, CHC/PHC, urban site, private health facility, rural outreach and so on. This exercise will enable end-to-end mobilisation and testing of COVID-19 vaccination process (except the vaccine) and check the usage of Co-WIN in field environment, the linkages between planning, implementation and reporting mechanisms and identify challenges and guide way forward prior to actual implementation including improvements that may be required in the envisaged process. This will also provide a hands-on experience to programme managers at various levels. 

This two-day activity is planned on December 28 and 29, 2020, and will include activities from the necessary data entries in Co-WIN to vaccine receipt and allocation to deployment of team members, mock drill of session sites with test beneficiaries to reporting and evening meeting. This will also  include testing for cold storage and transportation arrangements for COVID19 vaccine, management of crowd at the session sites with proper physical distancing. 

An important focus of the dry run will be on management of any possible adverse events following immunisation (AEFI). In addition, adherence and management of infection control practices at the session site, to prevent disease transmission. The mock drill will include concurrent monitoring and review at the block and district levels, and preparation of feedback will be shared with the State and Union Health Ministry.