India’s COVID-19 vaccination drive took off on Saturday, 16 January, with AIIMS Delhi sanitation worker Manish Kumar becoming the first person to take a vaccine at the city hospital.
Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the COVID-19 vaccination drive virtually at 10.30 am, 34-year-old AIIMS sanitation worker Kumar was administered the first dose in the hospital.
“I had a very nice experience. I was not reluctant to get the vaccine shot...people need not be worried. Now I don’t have any doubts regarding the vaccine. Everyone must get inoculated,” he said, according to news agency ANI.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan was also present at the vaccination event.
According to NDTV, healthcare worker Dhawal Dwivedi was the second person to receive the shot, followed by AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria and NITI Aayog senior member, Dr VK Paul.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the pan-India vaccination drive at 10:30 am via video conferencing. This comes days after the country's top drug regulator gave emergency use authorisation to two vaccine candidates.
PM Modi said that the arrival of vaccines have finally ushered in the day Indians have been eagerly waiting for, and warned against falling for propaganda against vaccination.
“Everyone was asking as to when the vaccine will be available. It is available now. I congratulate all the people of the country on this occasion,” PM Modi said in his address, adding that India’s vaccination programme is driven by humanitarian concerns, and that those exposed to maximum risk will get priority.
He added that the government will take care of the expenses of COVID-19 vaccination for 3 crore healthcare and frontline workers in India.
Around 100 beneficiaries will be vaccinated at each session site on Saturday, making it a total of around three lakh people who’ll get the shot on the first day.
(With inputs from ANI and NDTV.)
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