India on Saturday began the world’s largest vaccination drive against COVID-19. On the first day of the immunisation campaign, the government said it aimed to vaccinate over 3 lakh people. However, by the end of the day, 1.91 lakh had been inoculated.
The highest number of inoculations were carried out in Uttar Pradesh with 21,291 people taking the jab. Over 3,000 sessions were held across the country with 16,755 personnel actively participating. The number of sessions will be ramped up to cover more beneficiaries in the coming days. Each site is expected to handle 100 vaccinations a day.
Sanitation worker Manish Kumar became the first person in India to be vaccinated against COVID-19 on Saturday at AIIMS, Delhi.
#WATCH | Manish Kumar, a sanitation worker, becomes the first person to receive #COVID19 vaccine jab at #AIIMS, Delhi in presence of Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. #VaccinationDrive #VaccineForIndia#IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/9VphKlbXbN
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) January 16, 2021
In Kolkata, Dhakuria, the first doctor in AMRI Hospital, received the Serum Institute of India’s Covishield vaccine shot. Here’s what she said after receiving the shot.
#WATCH | First doctor in AMRI Hospital – #Dhakuria receives #Covishield vaccine shot against #COVID19 @prema_rajaram reports @SerumInstIndia #WestBengal #VaccinationDrive #VaccineForIndia #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/R81pLyRy0A
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) January 16, 2021
In Maharashtra, the state government on Saturday evening announced the suspension of the COVID-19 vaccination drive in the state till Monday owing to problems in the Co-Win app.
While in Delhi, the total number of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) post-COVID-19 vaccine in Delhi reached 52 out of which only one is severe, said the Delhi Government on Saturday.
Urging the people to have faith in India’s researchers, scientists, regulatory authorities, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Singh Guleria reassured the nation that Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN vaccine is safe as he and NITI Aayog member VK Paul were administered the COVID-19 vaccine shot at AIIMS Delhi on Saturday.
#WATCH | #AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria receives #COVID19 vaccine shot at AIIMS, Delhi. #VaccinationDrive #VaccineForIndia#IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/19VAHgEvp3
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) January 16, 2021
Addressing a video conference on Saturday, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said, “This was the most relieving day in the past year.” He also asked people to use social media to dispel rumours about the Covid-19 vaccines.
The Health Minister also said that he will not get vaccinated out of turn and urged other public representatives not to do the same.
CEO of Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) Adar Poonawalla received the first shot of the firm’s coronavirus vaccine Covishield on Saturday. In a tweet, Poonawalla said, “I wish India & Sri @narendramodi ji great success in launching the world’s largest COVID vaccination roll-out.”
I wish India & Sri @narendramodi ji great success in launching the world’s largest COVID vaccination roll-out. It brings me great pride that #COVISHIELD is part of this historic effort & to endorse it’s safety & efficacy, I join our health workers in taking the vaccine myself. pic.twitter.com/X7sNxjQBN6
— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) January 16, 2021