The Assam government has confirmed that the state is gearing up to start out the vaccination drive with 1.5 lakh entrance line healthcare, ASHA and anganwadi staff as the primary beneficiaries. Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI)’s approval for the emergency use of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for immunisation towards Covid-19 has “bolstered hopes for a Covid-free India”.
“We can take the vaccines now. I hope the dry runs are complete and anytime we will receive the coronavirus vaccines,” Himanta advised the media on Sunday. As stated by Union health minister Harsh Vardhan, Himanta said healthcare workers and frontline staff engaged in hospitals will receive the first shots of the vaccine, while police and teachers will be the next in line. “In the third phase, the vulnerable section with co-morbidities will get the vaccine,” the minister said.