The nation is gearing up for the world's largest COVID-19 vaccination exercise which will begin on Saturday. The massive immunization drive will be rolled out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Preparations have gained momentum with planes carrying vaccines flying into airports across the country. From various airports, the vaccines are being dispatched to small cities and towns in readiness for the inoculation exercise beginning Saturday. From Assam to Goa and from Jammu and Kashmir to Kerala, the vaccines are carefully and swiftly being transported to the far corners of the country.

According to sources, 95 percent of the 1.1 crore doses of Covishield vaccine purchased by the government have been delivered and shipped to nearly 60 consignee points across India in the past two days. Of the 55 lakh doses of indigenously developed Covaxin of Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, the first tranche of 2.4 lakh doses has been dispatched to 12 states. Health Ministry said vaccines have been allocated to all states and UTs in proportion to their healthcare workers database.

In accordance with the national priority list, the vaccine will be first given to healthcare and frontline workers. Each vaccination session will cater to a maximum of 100 beneficiaries per day.

Due to the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Health Ministry has decided, in consultation with the Office of the President of India, to reschedule the Polio Vaccination Day, also known as the National Immunisation Day or Polio Ravivar to the 31st of this month.

President Ram Nath Kovind will launch the Polio National Immunisation Day on the 30th of January which is a Saturday by administering Polio drops to some children at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

The decision is in keeping with the stated policy of the Health Ministry to ensure that COVID management and vaccination services, as well as non-COVID essential health services, proceed in tandem without adversely impacting each other.