Light at the end of tunnel:Preparations commence in J&K to receive COVID-19 vaccine

Afaq Bhat
Srinagar, Dec 2:  Hectic preparations have commenced in Jammu and Kashmir to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine. It appears that wait is about to get over and people are all set to get a shield at last.
On Tuesday Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, while chairing a high-level meeting, asked all the States and Union Territories to prepare and maintain a database of the prioritized group of people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine during the initial stages.
The Cabinet Secretary informed that at present, 3 companies are frontrunners in developing COVID-19 vaccines in India- which are currently in the third phase of clinical trials and will be shortly available for usage.
“After so many months we are hearing a good news. The vaccine will bring the much needed respite and will  lead to life returning to normal,” said Farooq Ahmed of Srinagar.
According to the officials in India, vaccines are being administered against 12 preventable diseases under the prestigious ‘Universal Immunization Programme’ (UIP), which is one of the largest immunization programmes in the world. Therefore, with a strong network of 28,947 chain points for storage and distribution of vaccines, COVID-19 vaccine distribution too will be carried out in a hassle-free and time-bound manner.
It’s in place to mention here that Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam also chaired the maiden meeting of the UT Steering Committee in Jammu on Tuesday to monitor the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccination in J&K.
The Chief Secretary, according to the officials, impressed upon greater coordination between the frontline workers of various departments including health, social welfare, school education, rural development, and housing and urban development.
An official said that the government has dropped enough hints about COVID vaccines being ready. “Now, it’s just a matter of time before the distribution starts. The vaccines have to reach everyone and lot of people will be needed to do this job. Volunteers and NGOs have to be involved to ensure that people get vaccinated,” the official added.
An expert said, “Distribution of vaccines could prove to be a difficult task if it’s done haphazardly. A proper planning needs to be done to ensure that no one remains deprived of the COVID cure.”
He said, “There are certain apprehensions and confusions about the efficacy of the vaccines but these will get cleared soon after these doses are rolled out and people start getting injected. We don’t have many choices and will have to rely on the COVID-19 vaccine that has been approved.”