India Begins World's Largest Vaccination Drive
India started vaccinating the health workers Saturday 16th January 2021. India’s vaccination drive is said to be the world’s largest COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
India started vaccinating the health workers Saturday 16th January 2021. India’s vaccination drive is said to be the world’s largest COVID-19 vaccination campaign. For health care workers it was a moment of pride. Gita Devi, a nurse who was one of the first to get a shot. Said, “I am happy to get an India-made vaccine and that we do not have to depend on others for it,” The first dose was administered to a sanitation worker at the All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences in the capital, New Delhi, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi kick-started the campaign with a nationally televised speech. “We are launching the world’s biggest vaccination drive and it shows the world our capability,” Modi said. He asked citizens to keep their guard up and not to believe any “rumors about the safety of the vaccines.” It was not clear whether Modi, 70, had received the vaccine himself as other world leaders have in an effort to demonstrate the shot’s safety. His government has said politicians will not be considered a priority group in the first phase of the rollout. There were doubts over the effectiveness of the vaccine made by Bharat Biotech. Health experts worried that the government gave approval for the Bharat Biotech vaccine without concrete data showing its efficacy. This can make people hesitant to take the vaccine.
The Health Ministry said that the vaccines are safe and that health workers will have no choice in deciding which vaccine they get. The Union Health Ministry said that a total of 224,301 people have been immunized since the process began on Saturday morning. Overall, a total of 447 adverse events following immunisation were reported and most were mild side effects such as headache, nausea and low-grade fever. The CEO of Serum Institute of India, Adar Poonawalla also took a shot of the Covishield vaccine. He tweeted, "I wish India and Sri Narendra Modi ji great success in launching the world's largest Covid vaccination roll-out. It brings me great pride that is part of this historic effort and to endorse it's safety and efficacy. I join our health workers in taking the vaccine myself"
Maharashtra’s state health department said on 16th January that Maharashtra government has decided to temporarily suspend the first phase of Covid-19 vaccination drive in the entire state due to technical issues with CoWIN App. The vaccination drive will now start in Maharashtra from 18th January 2021.
