Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday, 16 January, said that India’s COVID-19 vaccination drive is probably the biggest immunisation campaign against the disease in the world.
The health minister was present at AIIMS Delhi as the country launched the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, in which Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and the Serum Institute of India-manufactured Covishield are being administered to the population of the country.
“India has tremendous experience in handling such issues. We have already eradicated polio and smallpox,” Dr Harsh Vardhan said, according to ANI.
“I am very happy and satisfied today. We have been fighting against COVID-19 under the PM's leadership for the last one year. This vaccine will work as a 'sanjeevani' in the fight against COVID-19, which has entered the final stage,” he reportedly added.
Delhi to Administer Vaccines at 81 Centres
8,100 people will get the vaccine at 81 vaccination centres in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday. The CM was present at the vaccine administration at the city’s LNJP hospital.
“I appeal to the people not to pay heed to rumours. Experts have said that the vaccines are safe,” he said.
At AIIMS Delhi, Manish Kumar, a sanitation worker, became the first person to receive COVID-19 vaccine jab, according to ANI.
AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria also received the COVID-19 vaccine shot at AIIMS, Delhi.
“We've started the world's largest vaccination programme and we are very confident that it will be a smooth programme and we will be able to vaccinate a very huge number of people. It is the beginning of the end as far as the pandemic is concerned,” Dr Guleria told ANI.
Addressing concerns about the vaccine, he stressed that it is efficacious. We must have confidence in our researchers, scientists and regulatory authorities, Guleria further added.
(With inputs from ANI.)
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