Within a week of Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying down the roadmap for the Covid-19 vaccine in India during his meeting with the chief ministers of various states, the health authority of Singhbhum district, have sprung into action.
They are now converting a godown into a massive vaccine storage facility in Steel City.
Located at the Old Civil Surgeon office premise, on Dhalbhum Road in Sakchi, this facility will be having a walk-in cooler and a walk-in fridge.
“We are setting up a storage facility as per the instruction and guidelines of the Union Health Ministry. The facility will be up by the end of December,” said district civil surgeon, Rajendra Nath Jha while talking to The Telegraph Online.
He maintained that the vaccine for Covid-19 will be available anytime in January 2021. Hence the government of India has instructed all of them to have a storage facility with a cold chain maintenance system ready by the end of the month so when the vaccine consignment reaches Jamshedpur, then they don’t face any problem.
When asked about the capacity of the storage facility stated that he couldn’t comment on the same as the size of the vaccine’s vial has not been specified.
“We are converting a godown measuring 20 ft by 10 ft at the old civil surgeon office premises into the storage facility. It will have a walk-in cooler and walk-in fridge in it. It aims to stock the vaccine needed for the entire East Singhbhum district,” said the civil surgeon.
Interestingly, at a time when the district health officials are gearing up for a vaccination drive against Covid-19, the number of cases is continuing to drop.
On Friday, samples of 2,378 suspected Covid patients were examined in the Jamshedpur, of which only 19 tested positive. With 19 new cases, the total number of Covid cases in East Singhbhum district rose to 16,886.
Meanwhile, a 62-year-old woman, a resident of Kadma area died of Covid-19 at RIMS on Friday night. The deceased was earlier admitted at the MGM Medical College Hospital’s Covid ward from where she had been referred to RIMS on Sunday. With her death, the total number of Covid-19 deaths has shot up to 372.
The localities from where 19 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported from Bistupur, Bagbera, Govindpur, Sonari, Kadma Mango, and Baridih.
Despite the number of Covid-19 cases declining, the district administration has tightened its noose on the people not wearing masks or flouting social distancing rules. Those breaking the rules are being slapped a penalty of Rs 500. There is also a blanket ban on marriage procession.
