Pune: Over 1.25 lakh health workers in Pune district will be given the dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the first phase of the vaccination drive. The Maharashtra government has organised this programme on the lines of ‘national training of trainers’.

With three COVID-19 vaccine candidates under active consideration of drug regulator, the country is gearing up for its mega vaccination plan to provide the doses to the most vulnerable people in the next six to eight months. The COVID-19 vaccine will be first delivered to health care workers (1 crore), frontline workers (2 crore), and people over the age of 50 (26 crore).

To begin the process, information of health workers is being collected from each district. Under this drive, over 1.25 lakh health workers from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) will be vaccinated in the first phase.

According to the numbers from the PMC, 46,055 healthcare workers have registered under the COVID healthcare workers’ database information.

This is how vaccination centre will be designed:

· The vaccination centre will be designed like a polling station.

· The centre will have three rooms.

· Five-member staff will be assigned to one vaccination centre along with the security guard.

· Identity of the health worker will be verified in the first room.

· Employees will be vaccinated at another place.

· After vaccination, the employee will be asked to wait for 30 minutes. He or she will be monitored for further reactions.

· Details of the vaccination drive will be informed to the health workers via a text message.

· Consultants will be appointed for vaccination.

· It is mandatory to wear a mask.