Our Correspondent
Kohima, Jan. 14 (EMN): Dimapur district will receive highest number of Covishield doses with 6640 and Longleng will receive the least with 660, according to the government of India’s allocation of Covid-19 vaccine to eleven districts of Nagaland.
Covid-19 vaccine allocation to Kohima district is 5240, Mokokchung-2980, Phek-1860, Wokha-1840, Zunheboto-1670, Tuensang-1650, Mon- 1620, Peren-1140, and Kiphire-670.
Public health specialist and state-level observer from UNICEF, Dr. Longri Kichu, informed this at a media sensitisation workshop on Covid-19 vaccination in Kohima on January 14.
Launching of the vaccines will be carried out in all districts as projected, it was informed.
He pointed out that 26,500 doses of Covishield is for 13,250 people only as there are two doses for every beneficiary, 28 days apart. The maximum protection will be only after 14 days from the second dose or 42 days after the first dose, he added.
So far, the total number of beneficiaries registered at Co-Win Nagaland stands at 36845. This includes 760 health workers (central unit), 19,559 health workers (State UT) and 16,526 frontline workers.
The prioritised group for Covid vaccine are healthcare workers, frontline workers and person above 50 years and below 50 years with associated co-morbidities. This group of population would receive Covid-19 doses in phased manner, the doctor said.
The vaccine will be launched on Jan. 16 at nine district hospitals, except Kiphire and Longleng due to internet connectivity issue. The launching at the two districts would be done in the following days, he added.
The vaccinations will be given out in different locations such as hospitals, panchayat halls, school buildings, makeshift tents etc. It requires at least three (big) rooms for vaccinations—one for waiting room, vaccination and an observation room.
He also maintained that Covid-19 behaviour before and after receiving vaccines is crucial and advised people to continue to enforce safety protocols.
Principal Director of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Vizolie Suokhrie assured that there are “adequate” preservative facilities available for storing large amount of vaccines. There are 119 cold chain points and around 1206 sites for immunisation in Nagaland, the sites of which might increase after the first and second phase.
Besides this, transportation facility and security personnel arrangements have been made for safe transportation of the doses, he added.
The doctor informed there is a limited production of the vaccine and is not available in the market now. The first two phase of immunisation is free. As for next phases, the centre is yet to decide whether to give vaccine free of cost or not, he added.
The official also appealed to the people to dispel myths and misconception that are doing rounds on Covid-19 vaccines.
“It is not easy to develop vaccines and once it is developed, the most important priority is the safety and efficacy,” Suokhrie said, adding that the Covid-19 vaccine (Covishield) that has come to Nagaland is “very safe”.
To make vaccines available to human beings, it has to go through various phases of trails. For any vaccines once immunised, “reaction” or “discomfort” of medicine on a person’s body is “normal”. Medicines are available to control all these discomforts, he added.
“With time and years”, it will come to people’s knowledge as to how long Covid-19 vaccine will give protection, the official maintained.
He said that they would send the doses to respective district on Thursday night. Due to limited time, they might also use chopper services to reach out to far off districts to drop the vaccines, he added.
A flagged off programme to distribute the Covid-19 vaccines to the districts was held at the directorate of H&FW in the evening.
The rollout of Covid-19 vaccine programme will be held on January 16 at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima in the presence of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and other legislators.