New Delhi, January 2: All states and union territories across India will conduct a dry run for coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination today. This comes after four states successfully conducted the COVID-19 vaccination dry run. According to India's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the dry run for COVID-19 vaccine administration will be conducted in 116 districts across 259 sites. Here's everything you need to know about the mega drill. Covishield Gets Approval in India; AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine Being Produced by Serum Institute of India, Approved For Emergency Use: Reports.

"The objective of the dry run for COVID-19 vaccine introduction is to assess operational feasibility in the use of Co-WIN application in field environment, to test the linkages between planning and implementation and to identify the challenges and guide way forward prior to actual implementation," the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said. COVID-19 Vaccine Update: China Approves First Self-Developed Coronavirus Vaccine.

  • The dry run for COVID-19 vaccine administration will be conducted in all state capitals in at least three session sites.

  • Twenty-five beneficiaries (health workers) will be administered the vaccine at each of the three session sites.

  • All data of these beneficiaries will be uploaded in Co-WIN by states and UTs.

  • The exercise will also be carried out in some districts that are situated in difficult terrain or did not have proper logistical support.

  • In Maharashtra and Kerala, the dry run is likely to be conducted in major cities other than their capital.

  • All states and UTs have been directed to ensure physical verification of all proposed sites for adequacy of space, logistical arrangements, Internet connectivity, electricity, safety.

  • About 2,360 participants have been trained in the National Training of Trainers. More than 57,000 participants were trained in district level training.

  • Helpline numbers 104 and 1075 can be used for any vaccine and Co-WIN software related query.

The dry run will be conducted a day after the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) of the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) recommended Covishield, a potential vaccine against coronavirus (COVID-19), for emergency use approval in India. The SEC also sought more information from Bharat Biotech regarding its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 02, 2021 08:37 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).