J&K constitutes high-level team to manage side-effects of COVID-19 vaccine

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government has constituted high-level committees at both Union Territory and District Levels to manage any adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, expected to be rolled-out in India soon.

At present, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have already been rolled out in United Kingdom and USA even as India is on the brink of approving one.

Most governments in the world have plans to monitor the roll out of the Covid-19 vaccine, including any unwanted side-effects not picked up in the clinical trials

To mitigate any such adverse effects these vaccines may have when administered, the J&K government has constituted a 24-member UT level committee and a 13-member district committee that will ensure close monitoring of the entire vaccination process.

“Sanction is hereby accorded to the constitution of Union territory Level Committee & District Level Committee(s)…for management of adverse events of the COVID-19 Vaccine,” read an official government order on Monday.

Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education Department will be the chairman of the committee with Director Family Welfare MCH and Immunization, J&K, as its vice-chairman, and State Immunization Officer as its Conveyor/Member Secretary.

The IGPs of Kashmir and Jammu, HODs of several department of several tertiary care and district hospitals, representatives from electronic and print media, apart from others will be the members of the committee.

The committee is expected to undertake several tasks including:

• Reviewing of Case Reporting Forms (CRF), Preliminary Case Investigation Forms (PCIF) and Final Case Investigation Forms (FCIF) for causality assessments.
• Periodically review the data base of AEFI cases. Look for districts not reporting AEFI cases for a long time.
• Conduct field visits & inspections of vaccination sites, cold chain stores, Interviewing AEFI cases/relatives, treating Wors/Staff, Vaccinators, members of District AEFI Committee, if required.
• Provide technical guidance on policy and implementation of LJT AEFI Surveillance Programme.
• Review AEFI Programme Guidelines/SOPs and establish systems to ensure reporting of quality data.
• Provide support for strengthening AEFI surveillance in the UT through handholding and facilitating training and workshops as and when required.
• Conduct periodic evaluation of AEFI surveillance in the UT.
• Suggest processes for greater integration of private sector in the AEFI programme, including reporting, investigation and response.
• Strengthen integration with the UT Pharmacovigilance Programme with partners from Pharmacology Department 0-1 Colleges.
• Ensure meeting of devel AEFI Committee every quarter/once in every month during COVID 19 vaccination or as &when required.
• Support the Media Spokesperson for communication.
• Ensure minutes of meeting are recorded and shared with Government of India.

Similarly at district level, a 13-member committee chaired by Chief Medical Officer will be constituted.

There are six COVID-19 vaccine candidates in different clinical trial stages in India including Covishield, Covaxin, ZyCoV-D, Sputnik V, NVX-CoV2373 and a recombinant protein antigen-based vaccine.