Ahead of Covid-19 vaccine rollout, second mock drill across India on Jan 8

Another mock drill will take place on January 8 across all States and Union Territories, the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said

In the light of coronavirus vaccine rollout, another mock drill will take place on January 8 across all States and Union Territories, the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan reiterated on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) had informed that a second dry run will take place on January 8 across all districts of the country, except in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. While Uttar Pradesh has already conducted the dry run in all districts on January 5, Haryana is scheduled to organise the same on January 7.

The Health Minister also stated that around 1.7 lakh vaccinators and three lakh vaccination team members have been trained to administer the coronavirus vaccine.

"#VaccinationUpdate In a massive country-wide exercise, another Mock Drill on COVID19 Vaccine administration to be conducted in all States & UTs on January 8, 2021. Around 1.7 lakh vaccinators & 3 lakh vaccination team members trained in vaccine administration," Harsh Vardhan wrote on Twitter while tagging Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

Dr Harsh Vardhan will also meet Health Ministers of all the States/Union Territories (UTs) on Thursday to guide States/UTs on the conduct of dry run.

The first dry run of the vaccination drive took place across 125 districts covering all States/UTs on January 2. It was conducted to familiarise the state, district, block, and hospital-level officers on all aspects of the COVID-19 rollout.

The dry run was aimed at testing the laid out mechanisms for COVID-19 vaccination roll-out in the health system and to assess operational feasibility of using Co-WIN application in a field environment for planning, implementation, and reporting at the block, district, and state level.