290 take Covid vax shot in Khammam, Kothagudem

Khammam: Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar along with MP Nama Nageswara Rao has launched the Covid-19 vaccination programme at the District Hospital here on Saturday. Speaking on the occasion, Puvvada said after Hyderabad, Khammam has the highest number of persons registered for the first phase of vaccination with about 15,975 set to take the jab.

Covishield vaccine, developed by Serum Institute of India, is to be administered in the district and the vaccination would take place at 36 centres across the district under the supervision of doctors, the Minister informed.

On the first day, as many as 170 persons were given the vaccine at six centres where vaccination, waiting and observation rooms were set up, Collector RV Karnan said.

The measures taken by the Central and State governments have contained the spread of coronavirus effectively though there were doubts about how India would beat the virus, Nama said.

Commissioner of Police Tafseer Iqbal, SUDA chairman B Vijay Kumar, Mayor G Papalal and his deputy B Murali Prasad, Municipal Commissioner Anurag Jayanthi, District Medical and Health Officer Dr B Malathi and others were present at the launch of vaccination programme. In Kothagudem, around 120 persons were given Covid-19 vaccine shots at four centres. Collector Dr MV Reddy launched the vaccination programme at District Hospital where the hospital superintendent Dr Sarala received the first vaccine shot in the district.

Emergency wards have been set up to deal with any possible side effects of the vaccine. According to health officials, two pregnant women of Bhadrachalam refused to take the vaccine.