RAJNATH, HARSH VARDHAN AMONG UNION MINISTERS TO TAKE SHOTS
Health minister urges all citizens above 60 years or people with comorbidities to get vaccinated
Union health minister Harsh Vardhan, Union defence minister Rajnath Singh, Union minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad took the first dose of Covaxin, the indigenously developed vaccine against Covid-19, on Tuesday.
India has opened up vaccination for people above the age of 60 and those over 45 with specified comorbidities from March 1.
Vardhan and his wife Nutan Goel first received the vaccine shot at the Delhi Heart and Lung Institute, which is a private facility. They paid ₹250 each for the jab.
Completing the observation period of half-and-hour after taking the first dose of the vaccine, Vardhan addressed the media and appealed to eligible people to get vaccinated.
Singh, who took the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at RR Hospital in the national capital, tweeted, “India’s resolve for making the country Covid-free has been strengthened by this inoculation drive. The vaccine is completely safe and hassle free.”
Naqvi took the Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield vaccine in KD Dalmia Eye Hospital in Rampur. Prasad received his dose at the at All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Patna.
Union health minister Harsh Vardhan and his wife, Union defence minister Rajnath Singh , Union minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad took the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday.
India had opened up vaccination for those over 60 years and within the age bracket of 45 to 59 years with specified co-morbidities from March 1.
The minister’s wife Nutan Goel first took the jab after which Vardhan received the vaccine shot at the Delhi Heart and Lung Institute, which is a private facility. They paid ₹250 each for the vaccine jab. Completing the observation period of half-andhour after taking the first dose of the vaccine, Vardhan addressed the media and appealed to eligible people to get vaccinated. “Today me and my wife took the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at Delhi Heart and Lung Hospital around half-and-hour ago.
The observation time of halfand-hour is completed. Hospital authorities have informed me that I and my wife have been given Covaxin. We did not face any kind of difficulty,” he told reporters. “On this occasion, I would like to urge all the citizens of this country whose age is above 60 or if they are in the age bracket of 45-59 to take the vaccine,” he said.
Rajnath Singh who took the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at RR Hospital in the national capital said, “The first dosage of Covid-19 vaccine was administered to me at RR Hospital today. India’s resolve for making the country Covid-free has been strengthened by this inoculation drive. The vaccine is completely safe and hassle free,” tweeted the defence minister.”
Naqvi took the first dose of the vaccine in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur He was administered the Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield vaccine at Rampur’s K D Dalmia Eye Hospital .
Ravi Shankar Prasad who on received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Patna, said “I have got a vaccine for Covid-19 in AIIMS Patna. All of us Union ministers had decided that we will also pay ₹250 each for our own volition. I have also given shared an amount of ₹250 to AIIMS today.”
Besides the Union ministers, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan,Kerala health minister K K Shailaja, National Conference MP Farooq Abdullah were also administered with the Covid-19 vaccine at a city hospital.