393 people vaccinated on Day 1 in Noida

Lok Sabha member from Gautam Budh Nagar Dr Mahesh Sharma was among the first parliamentarians to be vaccinated on Saturday, even as a little more than half (393) of the 600 people scheduled to get their jabs on Day One turned up at vaccination centres

Lok Sabha member from Gautam Budh Nagar Dr Mahesh Sharma was among the first parliamentarians to be vaccinated on Saturday, even as a little more than half (393) of the 600 people scheduled to get their jabs on Day One turned up at vaccination centres .

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“I have received the vaccine as a health worker and not as an MP,” said the parliamentarian who is also a qualified doctor and owner of Kailash Group of hospitals. “Everybody should get the vaccine as responsible citizens. The vaccine has been developed by seasoned scientists after sufficient trials and it is safe for use. It has been around one hour after I got vaccinated and I have not faced any side effects. I am continuing work as per my routine.”

The district chief medical officer (CMO) said the people who missed Saturday’s inoculation did not give a reason for their absence, but they would be given another chance at getting vaccinated in the next phase.

The vaccination drive began at 11am, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address, and continued till around 5.30pm.

CMO Dr Deepak Ohri said 221 males and 172 females were vaccinated at the Super Speciality Paediatric Hospital & Post Graduate Teaching Institute (SSPHPGTI), Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Sharda Hospital, Kailash Hospital and at the community health centres (CHCs) at Bhangel and Bisrakh.

One health worker each at SSPHPGTI and CHC Bhangel had complained of headache and nausea after the shots. “They were kept in observation and then discharged. There were no side effects of the vaccine on Saturday,” the CMO said. “Since there is no side effect, we hope more and more people will come forward now.”

GIMS director Brig (retd) Dr Rakesh Gupta, Sharda University’s dental college dean Dr M Siddhartha, SSPHPGTI’s chief medical superintendent (CMS) Dr DK Singh also got vaccinated on Day One. They said that they have observed no side effects of the vaccine and urged people to register for vaccines.

Suhas LY, district magistrate GB Nagar, said that the vaccination drive went smoothly at six locations. “The details of health workers were noted and also uploaded on Co-Win app. The health officials are well trained to conduct this exercise,” he said.

In the first phase, 24,453 health workers will be vaccinated, he said.

Replying to a question on when he would be vaccinated, the DM said he expected it second phase when police personnel, district administration staff and officials, revenue department officials, among others will get the shots.

Shamim, a lab technician at the SSPHPGTI received the first vaccine dose of Covishield.

“I first reached the registration counter where they checked my Aadhaar card and made an entry. It was like a normal injection administered in one minute,” he said. He said that he did not feel any pain or abnormalities in his shoulder or body after the vaccination. After the vaccination, he was kept for observation for 30 minutes where doctors monitored him and then he was discharged.

The hospital issued a vaccination card which mentions patient’s serial number, name, phone number, date of first dose and date of second dose. The people vaccinated on Saturday have been asked to come for a second dose on February 15.

GB Nagar’s immunisation officer Dr Neeraj Tyagi said the administration will soon share the details about the next phase of vaccination.