‘A Day of Tremendous Relief’: Harsh Vardhan on COVID Vaccine Drive
Catch all the updates on the launch of the COVID-19 vaccination drive in India here.
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A sanitation worker in Delhi became one of the first persons to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in India on Saturday, 16 January, as one of the world's biggest vaccination drives against the virus was launched in the country.
Holding a video conference with the health ministers of states and Union territories in the evening, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said, "Today is perhaps the day of tremendous relief for all of us in the past one year."
As many as 1,91,181 beneficiaries were vaccinated against COVID-19 across 3,351 session sites in India on Saturday, the Union Health Ministry said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the pan-India vaccination drive at 10:30 am via video conferencing. It came days after the country's top drug regulator gave emergency use authorisation to two vaccine candidates.
- In a briefing on Saturday evening, the government said no case of post-vaccination hospitalisation has been reported so far
- Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla took to Twitter to wish success to the drive and also shared a video of him taking the shot
- India plans to inoculate 3 crore health and frontline workers in the first phase of vaccination, followed by those above 50 and those with co-morbidities
- The two vaccine candidates given emergency use approval in India are Bharat Biotech’s ‘Covaxin’ and Serum Institute’s ‘Covishield’
- Since the pandemic reached India a little less than a year back, the country has recorded over 1.05 crore cases, with the death toll standing at over 1.52 lakh
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'Beginning of the End of COVID-19': Health Minister Ahead of Vaccination Drive
A day before India launches its ambitious coronavirus vaccination drive, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said, "India is set to begin the world's biggest vaccination drive tomorrow. This is the beginning of the end of COVID. Both indigenously manufactured vaccines given emergency use approval after scientific scrutiny."
The minister will be visiting the new OPD wing of AIIMS on Saturday to witness the launch of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, news agency ANI reported.
Meanwhile, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal will visit the LNJP Hospital at 12 pm on Saturday to inspect the vaccination drive of the Delhi government, his office said.
PM Tweets Day Before Vaccination Drive
"Tomorrow, January 16, India begins the pan-India rollout of COVID-19 Vaccination drive. The launch will take place at 10:30 AM tomorrow morning," PM Modi tweeted on Friday.
First Vaccinations in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh
Jaipur's Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College Principal Sudhir Bhandari will be the first person in Rajasthan to be vaccinated, while in Madhya Pradesh, a hospital security guard and an attendant will be among the first, NDTV reports.
CM Kejriwal to Witness Launch of Vaccination at LNJP Hospital
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will witness the launch of COVID-19 vaccination programme at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital today, reports ANI.
"Doctors, nursing and sanitation staff will be given the vaccine today," Suresh Kumar, Medical Director of the hospital said.
COVID Vaccines Reach Cooper Hospital in Mumbai
Health Minister to Visit AIIMS for Launch of Vaccination Programme
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan will visit AIIMS to witness the launch of the vaccination programme by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 10.30 am.
Delhi Cancer State Institute Set to Begin Vaccination Today
Pune's Ruby Hall Clinic Set to Begin Vaccination
Healthcare Workers at AMRI Hospital, Kolkata to be Vaccinated
Government Medical College in Omandurar Set to Vaccinate People
PM Modi Launches India's COVID Vaccination Drive
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 16 January, launched India’s vaccination programme, saying that with the arrival of vaccines, the day people in India have been waiting for is finally here, and warned against people being taken in by propaganda against vaccination.
First COVID Jabs Administered at AIIMS Delhi
A sanitation worker has become the first person to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at AIIMS Delhi. AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria has also received a COVID-19 vaccine jab at the same hospital.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan is present at the launch of the vaccine drive at the hospital.
Dr Pragya Shukla Gets 1st COVID Vaccine at Delhi State Cancer Institute
Dr Bipasha Sen of AMRI Kolkata Gets 1st COVID Vaccine at Hospital
Dr Nanesh Vadekar Gets 1st COVID Vaccine at Pune's Ruby Hall Hospital
Vaccination Drive Underway at Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital
The COVID-19 vaccination drive has begun at Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad in presence of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy CM Nitin Patel, reports ANI.
Dr Ashok Mohapatra Receives 1st Dose of Vaccine at SUM Hospital, Bhubaneshwar
Former AIIMS Director and Vice Chancellor of SOA University, Dr Ashok Mohapatra received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at SUM hospital in Bhubaneswar, ANI reports.
SII CEO Adar Poonawalla Takes COVID-19 Vaccine
Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla took to Twitter on Saturday to wish success to the vaccination drive in India and also shared a video of him taking the vaccine.
CM Uddhav Thackeray Inaugurates Vaccination Centre at BKC Jumbo COVID-19 Hospital in Mumbai
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated the vaccination centre at BKC Jumbo COVID-19 hospital in Mumbai and witnessed the vaccine administration today.
Health Workers Getting Vaccine Receive Letter From Mamata
Punjab CM Visits Mohali Hospital to Inspect Vaccination Drive
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday visited Civil Hospital in Mohali to inspect the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive today.
TN CM Palaniswami Says Will Take COVID-19 Vaccine
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Saturday said he too will get a vaccine against COVID-19.
Launching the COVID-19 vaccination drive in the state at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, Palaniswami told reporters that he too will get vaccinated against Coronavirus and added that the state had received 556,500 doses of vaccines -- 536,500 doses of Covishield and 20,000 doses of Covaxin.
Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar and others were also present at the hospital.
'Will Also Export Vaccines to Other Countries': Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
Speaking in Lucknow the day India's COVID-19 vaccination drive was launched, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "After seeing the results of COVID-19 vaccination today, many more people will turn up to get inoculated. We will export the vaccines to other countries also as India believes in 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (the world is one family)."
'India Fought Most Successful War Against COVID-19 Under PM's Leadership': Amit Shah
Speaking in Karnataka's Bhadravathi on Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said India has fought the most successful war against coronavirus in the world under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi.
"The world has been fighting a battle against COVID-19 for over a year. Several people died. It has been the toughest battle in humankind's history. But I'm happy to say that India fought the most successful battle against COVID-19 under PM Modi's leadership... It is a matter of joy for all Indians that we have been able to take this battle to its last stage with the help of two made in India vaccines," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
'Step Towards Victory Will be Taken Quickly': Harsh Vardhan Interacts With State Counterparts
Holding a video conference with the health ministers of all states and Union territories after the rollout of the vaccine drive, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said it seems almost obvious that the step towards victory against COVID-19 will be taken quickly.
"The vaccines have been presented before the country like 'Sanjeevani'... in the fight against COVID- 19. The fight was gradually heading towards victory, now it seems almost definite that the step towards victory will be taken quickly," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
He pointed out that the data in the last 3-4 months showed the country was gradually heading towards victory against the pandemic. "To further speed this up, our scientists developed two indigenous vaccines with the support of our scientists, doctors, researchers the vaccine manufacturing industry and the citizens of India who volunteered for clinical trials to make the research of scientists successful," he added.
'Small Section Spreading Rumours About Vaccines': Health Minister Harsh Vardhan
While holding a video conference with the health ministers of states and UTs, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan reportedly said, “There's a small section that is spreading rumours about vaccines, their utility, their safety, to mislead the people in the society. But such a large number of people received vaccines today with great joy and enthusiasm. Eminent doctors received the vaccine.”