India: dress rehearsal before the launch of a monster vaccination campaign

A man applies the finishing touches to graffiti depicting a Covid-19 vaccine on January 2, 2020 in Calcutta, India.

REUTERS - RUPAK DE CHOWDHURI

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

India is on the eve of a massive vaccination campaign against Covid-19.

This could start as early as next week.

The country authorized, Friday, January 1, the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in emergency.

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With our correspondent in New Delhi,

 Côme Bastin

Nothing should be left to chance.

In Delhi, Chennai or Bangalore, everywhere in India, simulations have been carried out since Saturday, January 2.

In sight, one of the

largest vaccination campaigns

in the world, which will reach 1.3 billion inhabitants.

The exercises consist of having the nursing staff repeat the protocols for administering the vaccine.

This involves training for injection, on volunteers or sometimes on mannequins.

But also the transport of the product, the patient journey or the use of dedicated software. 

India

urgently

authorized

, on 

Friday January 1, the Covishield vaccine from AstraZenecca, of which the Serum Institute of India claims to

have produced 50 million vials

.

Nearly 96,000 health workers have been trained to inoculate it and the first doses could be administered within a few days. 

The first phase of the campaign will concern 30 million people: nursing staff as well as municipal agents.

Next come the citizens over the age of 50 and ultimately the rest of the population.

By mid-2021, India is targeting 300 million people vaccinated.

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  • India

  • Coronavirus