Healthcare workers to receive first doses of COVID vaccine in Andhra: Minister

As multiple vaccines against the novel coronavirus are at various stages of development in the country, the Andhra Pradesh government has constituted a state-level steering committee to ensure coordination with all line departments, and mobilisation of resources. Minister for Industries, Commerce and Information Technology, Mekapati Goutham Reddy, on Wednesday, shared that the healthcare workers in Andhra Pradesh will be given the top priority in administering the COVID vaccine.

Taking to Twitter, the Andhra Pradesh IT Minister wrote, “Our government has set up a steering committee of 18 members to chalk out the distribution of COVID Vaccine. Healthcare workers will be the first to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus whenever a vaccine is ready for the public.”

The state-level steering committee has Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) as its Chairperson, Health commissioner, Principal Secretary (Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizens Department), Secretary (MA&UD Department), Andhra Pradesh Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation (APMIDC) Managing Director, Dr YSR Aarogyasri CEO, AYUSH Commissioner, Director of Public Health & Family Welfare, and Andhra Pradesh Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (APVVP) Commissioner as its members. The State Immunisation Officer has been appointed as its member convenor, who has been instructed to convene a meeting at least once every fortnight.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh reported 1732 fresh COVID-19 cases as the total number of cases rose to 8,47,977. So far, the state has recorded 8,20,234 recoveries and 6,828 deaths. As of 11 November, the active cases stood at 20,915. The state has conducted 88,63,340 tests until Wednesday.

Vizag COVID-19 Update:

Vizag reported less than 100 new infections on the third consecutive day. On Wednesday, the district registered 75 new COVID-19 cases. The newly recorded cases, between Tuesday and Wednesday, have taken the district tally to 57,501. Two more patients succumbed to the virus while 113 individuals recovered from the infection in the past 24 hours. As per the report, the COVID-19 figures in the Vizag district are as follows:

New cases: 75

Active cases: 1518

Discharges: 55,493 (including 113 today)

Deaths: 490 (including 2 death today)

Total count: 57,501

Apart from reporting the new infections in Vizag, it has been revealed that the district currently accounts for 6 very active clusters, 19 active clusters, 294 dormant clusters, and 627 de-notified clusters.