Hospital attendant gets first Covid vaccine jab in Karnataka

Bengaluru: As India stepped into the historic moment of Covid vaccination, healthcare workers became its part on the first day soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually launched the phase one of the drive across the country.

Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa flagged off the Covid vaccination drive at the Bangalore Medical College. The first vaccination was administered to Nagarathna, a ward attendant at the Victoria Hospital in the presence of the CM, Health Minister K Sudhakar, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and others. Nagarathna was greeted with a bouquet of roses by the CM after she got the vaccine shot.

"We have all the wherewithal and capacity to administer vaccines to any number of people but at present we are only restricted to 100 which will be increased gradually in the coming days," the Chief Minister said.

Yediyurappa also launched a postal stamp on Covid vaccination after launching the drive. Addressing on the occasion, the CM said that he will take the vaccine when his turn comes.

Meanwhile, Dr Sudarshan Ballal, Chairman, Manipal Hospitals, who took the vaccine shot on Saturday, said, "Today was a red letter day for all of us in the healthcare field. We have come up with a vaccine that's manufactured in India, tested in India and rolled out by our Prime Minister today. I am privileged to be one of the first few recipients of this vaccine today."