Vice president M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday took his first vaccine shot against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) as India began Phase 2 of its immunisation drive. According to a tweet by the vice president’s secretariat, Naidu was vaccinated at the Government Medical College in Chennai.
“I took my first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Government Medical College, Chennai today. I will be taking the 2nd dose after 28 days. I appeal to all the eligible people to get themselves vaccinated proactively and join in the fight against novel coronavirus,” the VP’s secretariat quoted Naidu as saying.
Naidu joins Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and Odisha chief minister Navin Patnaik among others who have taken their first jab against the viral disease. Earlier in the day, PM Modi tweeted to announce that he had taken his first vaccine shot at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. According to officials, the Prime Minister was given a shot of Bharat Biotech International Limited’s Covaxin, the safety and efficacy of which has come under the scanner as the company is reportedly yet to complete phase 3 trials of the vaccine.
{{/usCountry}}Naidu joins Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and Odisha chief minister Navin Patnaik among others who have taken their first jab against the viral disease. Earlier in the day, PM Modi tweeted to announce that he had taken his first vaccine shot at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. According to officials, the Prime Minister was given a shot of Bharat Biotech International Limited’s Covaxin, the safety and efficacy of which has come under the scanner as the company is reportedly yet to complete phase 3 trials of the vaccine.
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In the second phase of the vaccine drive, citizens above the age of 60, and those between 45-59 years of age but with comorbid conditions, are eligible to get inoculated. In the first phase, which began on January 16, healthcare and frontline workers were vaccinated; the second half of the first phase commenced on February 13, with second vaccine doses being administered to the beneficiaries.
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Private hospitals are also taking part in phase 2 of the vaccination drive. While vaccines will be administered for free in government hospitals, ₹250 will be charged in a private hospital.
Besides Covaxin, Oxford University-AstraZeneca’s Covishield has been given emergency use authorisation (EUA) in India. Both the vaccines were cleared by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) in January. A third, Russia’s Sputnik-V, could also be cleared in the days to come.