Sanitation Worker Becomes The First Person To Receive COVID-19 Vaccine Jab At AIIMS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday Kicked off the COVID-19 vaccination drive in India. The launch took place via video conferencing and over 3000 sites across all States and Union territories connected during the launch.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday kicked off the COVID-19 vaccination drive in India.
The launch took place via video conferencing and over 3000 sites across all States and Union territories connected during the launch.
AFP
Speaking at the occasion, PM Modi said that "Everyone was asking as to when the vaccine will be available. It is available now. I congratulate all the countrymen on this occasion."
LIVE: Prime Minister @narendramodi launches pan-India rollout of #COVID19 vaccination drive#LargestVaccineDrive #VaccineForIndia
¡ª PIB India (@PIB_India) January 16, 2021
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Such a vaccination drive at such a massive scale was never conducted in history, the PM said adding that there are over 100 countries having less than 3 crore population and India is administering vaccination to 3 crore people in the first phase only. In the second phase, we've to take this number to 30 crores.
Such a vaccination drive at such a massive scale was never conducted in history. There are over 100 countries having less than 3 crore population & India is administering vaccination to 3 crore people in first phase only. In second phase, we've to take this number to 30 crores:PM pic.twitter.com/HVKbBcmwCW
¡ª ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2021
Paying tribute to the frontline health workers, the PM said "Our corona warriors remained away from homes for days, in the call of duty. Some of them never got to meet their loved ones again."
"By reserving the first vaccines for these people, the society is expressing its gratefulness," he said.
The PM also said that "Normally, it takes many years to make a vaccine but in such a short span of time, not one, but two 'Made in India' vaccines are ready. Meanwhile, the work on other vaccines is progressing at a fast pace."
The world has immense faith in India's scientists and capacity of vaccine production. We have got two vaccines in such a short time, it's a testimony to our scientists' talent and skills, he added.
As the vaccine is getting rolled out, some three lakhs health workers from over 3000 locations across the country getting the first Covid-19 vaccinations on Saturday.
Maharashtra: The staff at a hospital in Aundh district of Pune make rangoli to welcome those participating in Covid-19 vaccine drive
¡ª ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2021
"I am relieved that vaccination is finally out. The paramedical staff is very happy. I will get the shot of Covaxin today," said a hospital staff. pic.twitter.com/CVioca3G5W
Around 100 beneficiaries will be vaccinated at each session site on the inaugural day, the union health ministry has said.
In the first phase government and private sector health care workers, including Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) workers, will receive the vaccine.
The drive will be held daily from 9 am to 5 pm, except on the days earmarked for routine immunisation programmes.
AFP
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Friday termed the country's vaccination drive as the "beginning of the end of Covid-19." He also urged people to trust the indigenously manufactured vaccine, saying the government has given emergency use approval after proper scientific scrutiny.
In the next phases of the vaccination drive, people aged over 50, and those who are below 50 years but have serious health conditions or co-morbidities will be vaccinated, according to the health ministry.
Dry-runs at vaccination centres across the country have been held with lakhs of healthcare staff across districts being trained.
The drugs regulatory body of India has currently approved two vaccines. Pune-based Serum Institute of India has developed the Covishield vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University while the Covaxin has been developed by Hyderabad's Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Medical Council of research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology.
The vaccination programme in the country will use Co-WIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Work), an online digital platform developed by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which will facilitate real-time information of vaccine stocks, storage temperature and individualized tracking of beneficiaries for COVID-19 vaccine. This digital platform will assist programme managers across all levels while conducting vaccination sessions.
A dedicated 24x7 call centre - 1075 - has also been established for addressing the queries related to Covid-19 pandemic, vaccine rollout and the Co-WIN software.
The full initial procurement amount of 1.65 crore doses of Covishield and Covaxin vaccines against Covid-19 have been allocated to all States/UTs in the proportion of Health Care Workers database, Union Health Ministry stated.
Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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