Covid vaccine drive should become a people's movement: Venkaiah Naidu
Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said that the Covid vaccination campaign should become a people’s movement
Hyderabad: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said that the Covid vaccination campaign should become a people's movement and appealed to every eligible person to take the required doses without any fear or hesitation.
Launching a free vaccination programme organised by the Swarna Bharat Trust here, in collaboration with Bharat Biotech International Ltd and MediCiti Hospitals, he said there was no alternative to taking the vaccine.
Calling for countering the misinformation on vaccines, he urged people's representatives, film and sports celebrities to take lead in dispelling myths and fears on the vaccination.
Highlighting the important role of the media in creating awareness and in encouraging Covid appropriate behaviour, Naidu said every citizen eligible for vaccination should deem it as his/her duty to take the required doses.
Mentioning that more than 71 crore doses were administered in the country till September 6, the VP expressed happiness that more than 50 per cent of the eligible people were vaccinated with at least a single dose.
Terming it as a collective and remarkable effort of the Centre and States in the spirit of Team India, he stressed that the mission of vaccination should not lose momentum until every citizen is vaccinated.
Naidu observed that at a time when even developed countries struggled to cope with the pandemic, India not only successfully manufactured vaccines indigenously, but is also conducting the world's largest free vaccination programme. 'Further, in the spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', it has exported vaccines around the world'.
The VP stressed the importance Covid appropriate behaviour even after vaccination to effectively fight the pandemic. He emphasised that people should take personal responsibility in adherence to personal hygiene, in wearing masks and in maintaining a safe distance. Naidu suggested to people to adopt healthy lifestyle choices, such as practicing yoga, maintaining physical fitness and eating healthy food to ward off ailments.
He complimented the organisers of the free vaccination programme--- Swarna Bharat Trust, Bharat Biotech, Muppavarapu Foundation, MediCiti Hospitals (Hyderabad), Simhapuri Vaidya Seva Samiti (Nellore), Pinnamaneni Siddhartha Hospitals (Vijayawada) for their initiative. The programme was simultaneously launched in Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Nellore. Naidu's wife Usha Naidu, Joint Managing Director of Bharat Biotech Suchitra Ella, former hockey captain N Mukesh Kumar and trust chairman Dr Kamineni Srinivas attended.