Fortunate enough to get Covid-19 vaccine, don't refuse: Health ministry urges
Officials of the health ministry, while addressing a press conference on India’s vaccination drive, reassured citizens that both vaccines are safe and have been approved by the government after rigorous testing.
The Union health ministry on Tuesday requested those chosen for Covid-19 vaccination to not refuse the shots when their turn comes for getting inoculated amid reports of several people not turning up for the drive. The health ministry said vaccine hesitancy is an issue which can lead to the rise in the number of coronavirus disease cases negating the hard work done over the past year by health care and frontline workers.
Officials of the health ministry, while addressing a press conference on India’s vaccination drive, reassured citizens that both vaccines are safe and have been approved by the government after rigorous testing.
"Those of us who are fortunate enough to be listed for vaccination, please, we should not refuse. When you receive a vaccine, you protect yourself and can perform your functions without fear. Once an individual is protected the virus can then not affect that individual at all," NITI Aayog member Dr VK Paul said. “You are not fulfilling our societal responsibility if a vaccine assigned to you is not being taken. Please understand the whole world is clamouring for the vaccines. It is an issue for government officials across the world to vaccinate priority groups,” Dr Paul further added.
Dr Paul urged beneficiaries chosen for Covid-19 vaccination to get vaccinated when their turn arrives highlighting that non-Covid health services need to restart in full-swing soon and healthcare workers should be able to work without any fear of contracting the disease.
India is planning to vaccinate close to 30 million healthcare workers under Phase 1 of the Covid-19 vaccination drive. The government has said that the number of inoculated people are more than twice the number of cases, according to a report by PTI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Union ministers have urged citizens to get vaccinated in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease.
India vaccinated 454,049 people until Tuesday morning. The government has claimed that vaccinators have vaccinated more people on the first day of vaccination drive compared to other nations who have also begun Covid-19 vaccination.