PM Narendra Modi and chief ministers will be taking the COVID-19 vaccine in the second phase of the vaccination drive, NDTV reported on Thursday, 21 January, quoting sources.
The PM had flagged off India’s vaccination drive, the largest in the world on Saturday, 16 January.
“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 had 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.
The vaccine drive was launched on Saturday with health workers taking two of India’s homegrown vaccines—Serum Institute of India's Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin.
It had been announced before that in the second phase of the inoculation drive, those above 50 years of age, as well as those below 50 years of age with co-morbidities or with high risk of infection, would receive the vaccine.
(With inputs from NDTV.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)