Even as precautionary vaccine doses have been supplied to the district and taluk hospitals for carrying out vaccination to vulnerable groups amidst the new COVID-19 scare, the healthcare providers must ensure the required number of people willing to take the jab as the Corbevax vaccine comes in 20-dose vials and 20 persons are needed for opening the vial for administering the doses.
In view of the guidelines on vaccination, the hospital staff have to make sure that there are a sufficient number of persons available for vaccination for opening the vial.
Though the response to precautionary doses was yet to be evaluated since the drive began on Wednesday (January 3), and the officers are unclear on getting the required number of persons at a time for the vaccination, the authorities have been asked to spread awareness on the precautionary doses and thereby draw the targeted groups to the vaccination centers.
A senior health official said, “The Corbevax vaccine vial comes in 20 doses. We can open the vial only when we have the required number of people.”
Only the taluk and district hospitals had been supplied the doses in limited quantities. Based on the response, more doses may be supplied in the coming days, sources said.
The waiting time at the hospital or UPHC may be more for availing the vaccine because of the 20-dose vials. The health authorities stated that it was early to comment on the response to the precautionary dose. “We cannot comment at this stage on the response the present drive would get. This particular vaccine was earlier administered for children aged between 12 and 14 years.”
In Kodagu, 220 doses had been supplied for administering precautionary doses while 440 vials had been supplied to Chamarajanagar. A total of 1,300 doses had been allocated to Mysuru.
Those who had taken Covishield or Covaxin vaccines and have completed six months or 26 weeks after the second dose, are eligible for the precautionary doses, according to the health officials.
Now, people aged 60 years and above and those with comorbidities and ASHA workers will get the doses on a priority basis.
The vaccine doses in Mysuru district had been supplied to H.D. Kote, Hunsur, K.R. Nagar, Cheluvamba Hospital, District Hospital, Mysuru, SMT Maternity Hospital, Mysuru, Rajendranagar UPHC and Kyathamaranahalli UPHC in Mysuru, Nanjangud, Periyapatna and T. Narsipur. Only the district hospital and the Cheluvamba hospital in Mysuru have received 200 doses each while others had been supplied 60 to 100 doses each out of 1,300 doses.
Chamarajnagar has 30 active cases and around 150 tests are done daily. Kodagu has two active cases.
Sources said none with a travel history to Kerala had tested positive in Kodagu and surveillance at the border check posts was under way.
