Vice President Naidu takes first dose of Covid-19 vaccine in Chennai

New Delhi, March 1 (IANS): After Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu has also announced that he has received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at a government hospital in Chennai, kicking off an expansion of the country’s immunisation campaign that began in mid-January with healthcare workers.

“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,” the Vice President said on Monday in a tweet.

The Vice President, 71, appealed to the people to come forward and receive the vaccine to defeat the deadly virus which has infected over 1,11,12,241 people and claimed the lives of 1,57,157 people so far.

“I appeal all the eligible people to get themselves vaccinated proactively and join in the fight against novel coronavirus,” Naidu tweeted.

The Vice President took the first jab of the Covid vaccine after Prime Minister Modi– the first prominent leader to take a Covid vaccine shot on Monday, as nationwide vaccination of persons above 60 and those over 45 with illnesses began.

The Prime Minister’s vaccination at Delhi’s AIIMS hospital featured symbols from states that will vote later this month as he wore a scarf from Assam and nurses from Kerala and Puducherry — Rosamma Anil and P Niveda– administered him the vaccine. Niveda administered the vaccine while Rosamma was assisting her.

India, which has reported the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the world after the United States, has so far vaccinated more than 12 million health and front-line workers.

The country is now expanding its vaccination drive beyond healthcare and front-line workers, offering the shots to older people and those with medical conditions that put them at risk.

Those now eligible to be vaccinated include people over 60, as well as those over 45 who have ailments such as heart disease or diabetes that make coronavirus infections more dangerous.

The shots will be given for free at government hospitals and will also be sold at over 10,000 private hospitals at a price not more than INR 250 per shot.

2nd phase of vaccine drive begins, elderly people queue up

The second phase of the Covid-19 vaccination drive in Gurugram began on Monday as elderly citizens queued up to receive their first vaccine jabs, health officials said.

The vaccination drive began for senior citizens aged 60 years and above, and those in the age group of 45 to 59 years with comorbidities.

In the first phase of the vaccination drive which began on January 16, several beneficiaries comprising healthcare workers and frontline warriors have already been vaccinated in Gurugram.

Ved Parkash, a 64-year-old resident of Old DLF colony in Gurugram, received the ‘Covishield’ vaccine at the Kalyani hospital.

“After receiving the ‘Covishield’ vaccine, I am feeling absolutely normal. I did not pay heed to rumours prior to the vaccination. The vaccine is perfect and has no side effects,” he said.

“Several senior citizens have been given vaccine jabs at our hospital, many of them came for the vaccination with the help of a walking stick. It is good to see elderly people getting vaccinated,” said a doctor at the Kalyani hospital.

Dayawati Devi, a 67-year-old resident of old Gurugram, told IANS, “It was a very good experience of receiving a corona vaccine shot. I am feeling normal after receiving the first jab and was not scared at all about taking the vaccine.”

A health official said the vaccination drive was slated to start at 12 noon but many elderly people had started queuing up by 10.30 a.m. so it was started a little early than the scheduled time.

Centenarian takes first dose of Covid vaccine in Hyd

A 100-year-old man on Monday took his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at a private hospital here and said that he wants to enjoy the social life.

Pardeep Chowdhry took the jab at the Medicover Hospital near Secretariat on the first day of the second phase of the inoculation drive.

Enthusiasm marked the immunisation programme for those above 60 years of age. People from all walks of life in that age group received the vaccine shots. Notable among them was Jaideep Chowdhry, a former entrepreneur.

He was one among the first to be vaccinated.

Visibly happy, Jaideep said he was waiting for the day to be vaccinated to enjoy the quality of socially active life.

He also added that a lot of hesitations and misinformation are being spread about the vaccine but the people should come forward take the vaccine jabs not only for their own benefit but also for their family and society.

Telangana’s Director of Public Health and Family Welfare G. Srinivasa Rao said the centenarian took the vaccine without any hesitancy.