India takes its first shot

New Delhi: As India began its nationwide vaccination drive against Covid-19, as many as 1,91,181 people were vaccinated on Day 1, Union Health Ministry said. A total of 16,755 vaccinators were involved in the process across the nation, the ministry said, adding that no case of post-vaccination hospitalisation was reported.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the nation's Covid-19 vaccination drive on Saturday, the world's largest inoculation exercise against the novel coronavirus. In a virtual address, an emotional Prime Minister paid tributes to the scientists and healthcare workers, who have been on the frontlines of the fight against the pandemic.

"Amid the crisis and the atmosphere of despair, someone was transmitting hope by putting his life on the line to save us," Modi said. The Prime Minister said that all safety protocols, including social distancing and wearing masks, must remain in place.

During the vaccination drive, Maharashtra recorded 14 cases of adverse events, however, none of them were fatal. State officials currently studying them.

India will administer shots to three crore frontline workers in phase one. There are 3,006 session sites across the country, where 100 beneficiaries each will be given either of India's two indigenous vaccines, Covaxin or Covishield. Continued on Page 4