Covid-19 vaccination drive Phase 2: PM Modi leads from the front; several ministers take jab

The government had announced on Wednesday that everyone above 60 years of age and those over 45 years with comorbidities will be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine from March 1, for free at government facilities and for Rs 250 per dose at select private hospitals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday kick-started the second phase of the Covid inoculation drive, getting administered with the first dose of the vaccine (Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN) at All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. After taking the shot, Modi appealed to all those who are eligible to get inoculated to make India coronavirus-free.

Following this, several leaders, cutting across political parties, were given the jabs today.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine today and appealed to all eligible people to come forward and get vaccinated.

Sharing the update, the Odisha CM also thanked scientists and health workers for racing against time to deliver the vaccines.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also got administered with the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at IGIMS hospital in Patna, and appealed to people to not let their guard down in the wake of active cases coming down in the state. The chief minister also declared that the entire state of Bihar will be vaccinated free of cost, adding that the facility will be made available even at private hospitals, with the state government bearing the expenses.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu took the jab today at the Government Medical College in Chennai. In a tweet, he requested all eligible people to get themselves vaccinated proactively and join the fight against the novel coronavirus.

Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar took the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at JJ hospital in Mumbai. He, too, appealed to all the eligible persons to take the shot so as to strengthen the vaccination drive.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah took the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine today. He was vaccinated by Medanta Hospital doctors.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh received his first dose of the coronavirus vaccine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). “Let all join the COVID-free India movement led by PM Narendra Modi,” he tweeted.

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, after getting his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, said he “felt secure”.

The government had announced on Wednesday that everyone above 60 years of age and those over 45 years with comorbidities will be able to get COVID-19 vaccines from March 1 for free at government facilities and for Rs 250 per dose at select private hospitals.

In the first phase, 1.43 crore doses of Covishield and Covaxin vaccines were administered to two priority groups: healthcare and frontline workers.

Meanwhile, India’s COVID-19 tally surpassed 1.11 crore on Monday, with 15,510 new infections, while active cases registered an increase for the fifth consecutive day and were recorded at 1,68,627, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

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