RS Sharma: ‘Plan is for a demand-driven Covid vaccine registration system with hospitals nearby’

As the federal government’s vaccination marketing campaign towards Covid progresses, making certain a “demand-driven” registration system that enables individuals the choice of extra hospitals nearer to their houses is the following goal for National Health Authority CEO RS Sharma. In an interview to PRABHA RAGHAVAN, Sharma, who heads the empowered committee for administration of Covid vaccines, discusses these priorities and efforts to guard knowledge of vaccinated residents from cyberattacks. Edited excerpts:
Have you seen extra traction in vaccinations submit path to utilise the 100 per cent personal hospital capability and lengthen vaccination timings previous 5pm?
(Over the primary) three days (of the vaccinations for senior residents and people with particular co-morbidities), it was kind of a 75 per cent enhance (in vaccinations). So, hopefully, an increasing number of individuals are coming ahead and numbers will enhance.
In the following 3-6 months, what’s the broader plan when it comes to making certain a easy operating of the vaccination programme towards Covid-19?
The system is operating easily. It is an excellent system the place individuals have the pliability to register, individuals have the pliability to schedule (and) reschedule appointments and go there and get (vaccinations) finished. That’s one half. We will additional finetune the timings. We will divide the timings into slots. That’s additionally doable. It’s not an issue.
But (a) demand-driven system (that’s) open to residents and protecting many hospitals in order that the services are close to their place is the plan going ahead. Now, with regard to the numbers, logistics — in fact, this plan will likely be subjected to the provision of vaccines and the numbers (of) how individuals reply to it.
…As of now, the coverage is no matter vaccine comes, they’ll go into the system. (Whether a) new (vaccine) will likely be accepted or not accepted, I don’t know. But, hopefully (if) the Government of India approves any new vaccine, that additionally comes into the system (and) the distribution sample will likely be comparable. The solely factor is we aren’t giving any option to the particular person as to which vaccine they take. But, on the similar time, we’re making certain that the primary vaccine, no matter they take, is similar one because the second.

How are you making certain this, particularly given the truth that provides of some vaccines could also be extra restricted than others?
That, we’re making certain as a result of we’ve the info of everyone and we challenge a digital certificates to everyone after vaccination. The coverage to this point we’re having is that we are going to proceed to offer the identical (vaccine) to a centre. But, if one vaccine is modified to another vaccine, then the one that (obtained their first shot of that vaccine) there’ll principally not be allowed to return to (that facility) once more (for the second dose). He will likely be directed to a special place which is providing the primary vaccine.
How will you ensure that there aren’t any glitches within the system and no room for technical error, so that everybody will get their second dose on time, on condition that it is a time-sensitive train?
While it’s time-sensitive, we really repair the appointment additionally (for the second dose). That slot is mounted after you get the primary vaccine, however, finally, it’s all voluntary. If the (particular person) decides to not come, what can I do? Basically, we’re facilitating the truth that he’ll get the identical vaccine (on the twenty ninth) day. If he can’t come on the twenty ninth day, he can reschedule … you’ve one week (to) 10 days’ flexibility. That’s what we’ll do. Otherwise, we’ll facilitate and there’s no query of a technical glitch.
You earlier spoke about making certain the security of information on CoWIN and Aarogya Setu and ensuring that the system is protected against cyberattacks. What measures are you implementing to this impact?
The knowledge is sitting on the back-end of our system, so knowledge is just not being distributed wherever. We have to make sure security and safety of that knowledge. There are customary strategies of making certain (this) — intrusion detection methods, intrusion prevention methods and what’s known as encryption. There are varied sorts of firewalls. Those issues are being put into place — the usual practices of making certain that there aren’t any cyber assaults, there aren’t any denial of service assaults … SQL injections … Our system is totally strong.