AP: Sweeper receives first Covid vax shot in Vijayawada

Amaravati, Jan 16 (IANS) A health department sweeper received the first shot of the coronavirus vaccine in Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday."Health department sweeper B. Pushpa Kumari took the first shot of coronavirus vaccine in the state," said an official statement.Kumari was administered the vaccine shot at Government General Hospital in Vijayawada.The Andhra Pradesh government has identified 332 locations in the state to launch the coronavirus vaccination programme, as part of Saturday's nationwide mega rollout of the vaccine.After 28 days of the first shot, a second vaccination shot has to be administered.According to officials, Andhra Pradesh received 4.7 lakh doses of 'Covishield' from the Pune-based Serum Institute of India and 20,000 'Covaxin' doses from Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech.Already, 4.7 lakh doses have been distributed to 332 locations in the districts where they will be administered.At each of the 332 designated locations, six staff members will work to vaccinate 100 beneficiaries per day, supervised by a doctor."Total 2,324 staff would be working to vaccinate a maximum of 33,200 health care workers per day," said the statement.Text messages have been sent to vaccine beneficiaries.At every location, three rooms - vaccinating room, waiting room and an observation room - have been arranged."Pregnant women, those aged below 18 years and those persons who have any contraindications for any vaccine should not be vaccinated," the statement added.Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy also arrived at the Vijayawada GGH to observe vaccination.
--IANS sth/kr