Lucknow sets up 2 vaccine depots as UP Govt prepares to stock COVID-19 vaccine upon launch

The Uttar Pradesh government has started to repair and prepare two vaccine depots in Lucknow, in order to stock COVID-19 vaccine vials when it comes. This proactive measure will help ease the availability of the vaccine to the virus-stricken state districts, especially to the infection hotspots in Lucknow.

Lucknow arms to stock COVID-19 vaccine

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Two vaccine depots are being ramped up in the coronavirus hotspot, Lucknow. One of these facilities, located at urban health post in Aishbagh, will be dedicated to easing the district caseload while the other depot near the family welfare directorate in Chowk has been designated for the divisional/state support.

Besides the state capital, other districts are also preparing to stock up on the much-awaited COVID-19 vaccine. The state immunization officer reportedly said, "We do not know how many vaccine vials will be coming, but the infrastructure will be ready. Construction of depots is going on in 22 districts, while in 27 others, the repair work is in progress." The Director General, family welfare, added, "The focus is on the maintenance of the cold chain and work in this regard is in progress at vaccine depots. The target is to have them ready by December 15."

The state government has announced that all the citizens in the state will be administered with the vaccine at no cost but the first phase of the inoculation drive would cover the health force, including doctors, nurses, paramedics and other non-medics in hospitals. All divisions have prepared lists of people who will be inoculated first.

State Preparations for COVID-19 vaccine

In Prayagraj, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) said, "We have identified a meeting hall of the Tej Bahadur Sapru (Beli) Hospital as the main vaccine storage centre in the district and its renovation process has begun." Adding to this, he further stated, "The district has around 1,365 private hospitals and clinics, as well as 130 government hospitals and facilities registered with the CMO office and staff of these, would be vaccinated first."

In Meerut division, which comprises of six districts of Meerut, Ghaziabad, Noida, Hapur, Bulandshahr and Baghpat, health officials have made adequate arrangements for storing Covid-19 vaccine at the storage centre of the Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical College. The Divisional Surveillance officer has stated that the medical college can store vaccines for three months at the prescribed temperature.

- With inputs from IANS