Modi takes Covaxin jab, jokes about size of needle

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at AIIMS here and appealed to all those who are eligible to get inoculated.

Setting the pace for the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the prime minister reached the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here early this morning and was administered Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN by nurse P Niveda, who hails from Puducherry. Another nurse Rosamma Anil from Kerala

also assisted in the process.

“Took my first dose of the vaccine at AIIMS. Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked to strengthen the global fight,” Modi tweeted.Modi also used humour to put at ease the medical staff during the inoculation and asked the nurses administering the vaccine whether they were planning to use some special thick needle as politicians are known to be “very thickskinned”, drawing laughter.Modi was seen sporting an Assamese ‘gamocha’ and getting inoculated with a smile on his face.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move to take the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine on very first day of India opening up inoculation drive for senior citizens and those aged 45 and above with comorbidities should eliminate any hesitancy from the minds of people about the vaccine, AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guleria said. Modi received indigenously developed Covaxin jab by Bharat Biotech. AIIMS was intimated about the prime minister’s visit to the hospital to take the vaccine late Sunday night and as such no special arrangement was made for him, Guleria said. ‘As it was a week day, he chose to come early in the morning so as not to cause any inconvenience to patients at the hospital,’ Guleria said.