The state-run GIMS and privately-operated Sharda Hospital are among the six institutes which will have a dry run for COVID-19 vaccination in Gautam Buddh Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh on 5 January, according to officials.

For our comprehensive coverage and latest updates on COVID-19 click here.

The dry run (which means a rehearsal or mock drill) is being carried out on instructions of the state government, the officials said. According to an official statement issued here, the dry run for COVID-19 vaccination will be held on 5 January at the Super Speciality Paediatric Hospital & Post Graduate Teaching Institute in Noida Sector 30, the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) and Sharda Medical College, both in Greater Noida.

The exercise would also be held at the primary health care (PHC) and the community health care (CHC) centres in Bisrakh and the CHC in Bhangel, it stated. GIMS Director Dr. Brig (retired) Rakesh Gupta said his institute has done preparation as per the standard operating procedures received from the state government and the district administration. "The GIMS has prepared two standalone booths, equipped with spacious waiting room for identification and documentation, separate room for administering vaccine and observation ward equipped with necessary equipment and manpower, who will deal with adverse events following Immunization (AEFI)," Gupta said.

"The dry run will be done on January 5, in which, vaccination of 50 healthcare workers will be done in two sessions, where a team of six members will carry out the vaccination exercise supervised by the nodal officer of GIMS and district heath department," he added. Gautam Buddh Nagar on 4th January had 337 active cases of COVID-19. The district has so far recorded 90 deaths linked to the pandemic while its infection tally stood at 25,032 while 98.29 percent of patients have recovered, according to official data.