Hospitals get ready for Covid shots ahead of vaccination drive on Jan 16

The fight against Covid-19 is possibly entering its final stages, with the prime minister announcing the kick-off of the vaccination drive from January 16. This announcement precedes a herculean task ahead, in which 300 million Indians will be vaccinated in the first phase of the drive. The first phase caters primarily to healthcare and frontline workers, the elderly, and those with comorbidities. However, there will be initial hiccups in carrying out this task. The problems in carrying out vaccination on this massive scale are apparent, but not intractable.

1 States should be prepared for adverse events following immunisation (AEFI). Although unlikely, in some cases, untoward medical occurrences can follow vaccination. For instance, in the United States, several people have experienced severe allergic reactions—also known as anaphylaxis, after getting a different Covid-19 vaccine.

The states should immediately address this issue; otherwise, this will undermine public confidence in the vaccine. Therefore, a team of specialist doctors should be placed at every vaccination site to deal with AEFI. Also, there can be legal issues of culpability arising out of severe adverse events.