ASHA workers, anganwadi personnel, health employees in TS to get COVID vaccine in first phase

Hyderabad: Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), Anganwadi personnel and medical and health employees in Telangana would be administered the COVID-19 vaccine in the first phase, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said here on Monday.

It would be later given to police, security personnel and sanitary workers, he said.

“The government of India has identified Serum Institutes Covishield and Bharat Biotechs Covaxin as the effective vaccines.

We have decided to administer these vaccines in Telangana State,” he said after attending Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s virtual meet with Chief Ministers of various states on the COVID-19 situation and vaccination roll-out and later holding a review meeting here with ministers, officials and district Collectors.

“The vaccine will be given initiallyto Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Anganwadi personnel and medical and health employees, and later to frontline warriors like police, security personnel and sanitary workers,” he said.

Rao directed officials to make all preparations for the exercise and also to treat those who may develop side effects, an official release quoted him as saying.

He said arrangements had been made to administer the vaccine at 1,213 Centres, including PHCs, all over the state.

A total of 866 Cold chain points have been created to transport the vaccine, the chief Minister said.

He also said a committee under the chief secretary would monitor the vaccination programme

A Task Force Committee has been formed from the district to mandal level, he added.