The state health department, which conducted a dry run for Covid-19 immunisations at 13 locations in six districts on Saturday, dubbed the marathon exercise a success, hinting of more such trials in the coming days to prepare for the actual launch of the vaccine expected later this year.

As many as 325 healthcare workers took part in the dry run aimed at finalising logistics management to crowd handling, getting to know the functioning of the app, Co-Win, which has been developed for the nationwide immunisation drive.

Dry runs were held in Ranchi, Simdega, Pakur, Palamu, East Singhbhum and Chatra. At each site, a mock drill was held during which participants rehearsed the entire process, from arriving at the vaccination centre to getting registered, taking the shot and waiting at an observation room. Data collected was also updated in the system.

In Ranchi, the drill was held at the community health care (CHC) in Ratu and the sub-divisional hospital in Bundu.

Nodal officer for vaccine programme Ajit Prasad said, “The dry run was a success. Over 300 health workers took part. No major glitches have been reported yet, and based on feedback of participants, further preparedness will be undertaken.”

In the coming days, he said, all designated vaccine centres would be equipped with facilities to tackle exigencies, if any, after the actual vaccination.

In Jamshedpur, about 25 health workers were part of the dry run, civil surgeon, R.N. Jha said. “Health workers posing as patients received calls from the hospital for vaccination. Upon their arrival, sanitization protocols were performed at the vaccination centre and registration was done. After that, patients proceeded to the designated spot for getting vaccines. Then, he/she was lodged at an observation room. After half an hour they got discharged.”

Jha said the process of getting registered and then receiving the vaccine took 12 minutes, after which a beneficiary was sent to the observation room where he/ she was made to wait for half an hour.

So far, the state health department has prepared a panel of 7,000 vaccinators who have been provided training. This apart, the state has readied 275 cold chain points while a state-level vaccine warehouse has been set up at Namkum in Ranchi, in addition to two existing regional warehouses in Palamau and Deoghar.