SOPs outlined for vaccination of healthcare workers, frontline staff

The Centre has outlined SOPs for vaccination of healthcare workers and frontline staff who could not get registered for it through the CoWIN app for some reasons, Delhi health department officials said on Saturday.

In a March 5 order issued by the Delhi health department, it said the "state has been receiving requests for HCWs and FLWs who could not be registered due to some reasons".

The government of India has issued detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) for vaccination of healthcare workers (HCWs), frontline workers (FLWs) not registered on CoWIN, it said.

The HCWs of a health facility where the Covid vaccination centre (CVC) is located can be vaccinated at the center itself after certification of them being HCWs by the medical superintendent or facility in-charge. They shall be entertained after completion of vaccination of beneficiaries with scheduled appointments, the order said.

HCWs of public or private health facilities where the CVC is not located, can be vaccinated at the designated CVCs, upon furnishing proof of their being a healthcare worker in a prescribed format duly signed and stamped by the health facility in-charge.

Standalone medical practitioners and paramedics can show their MCI/DMCI relevant council registrations and get vaccinated, it added.

For the support staff of the private establishments, hospitals, clinic in-charge will have to certify them being HCWs in the prescribed format, the order said.

Vaccination of unregistered FLWs can be done at the designated CVCs upon furnishing proof of their being an FLW in the prescribed format duly signed and stamped by the senior officer deputed by the FLW authority for issuing the certificate. Further, the FLW group shall designate an officer to be present at these dedicated sites for verification of the FLW status. These beneficiaries shall be registered on-site, it said.

Over 33,000 beneficiaries received shots of COVID-19 vaccine in the national capital on Saturday, the highest number of people vaccinated in a single day since the starting of the inoculation exercise on January 16, officials said.

On Saturday, second doses were given to 7,132 people, the officials said, adding that 3,769 frontline workers and 2,274 healthcare workers were also vaccinated.