As India rolls out its Coronavirus vaccine drive today with the inauguration address of PM Modi, the country will eagerly watch the first group of healthcare workers, who will receive the vaccine. The Union government had earlier decided that healthcare workers will be prioritised over politicians for the vaccination programme. The following is a list of people, who will undergo vaccination today, as per Hindustan Times.
Vaccination drive in Gujarat
The State governments have zeroed in on individuals who would be the first to receive the first dose Coronavirus vaccine. As per reports, a total of over 16000 healthcare workers would be inoculated during the massive drive. On Saturday, 46-year-old Dr J V Modi and 58-year-old Dr Niyati Lakhani will be among the first to be vaccinated in the State of Gujarat. Dr JV Modi is the medical superintendent of Ahmedabad civil hospital while Lakhani is the superintendent of Gandhinagar civil hospital.
Roll-out of the vaccination programme in Rajasthan
Similarly, Sudhir Bhandari, the principal of Sawai Man Singh Medical College will be the first individual to be vaccinated with Covishield vaccine in the State of Rajasthan. “I have no inhibition in taking the vaccine as it is scientific and like any other flu shot. I am very comfortable,” he opined.
Inoculation drive in Chhattisgarh, Delhi
Reportedly, sanitation worker Tulsa Tandi (53) will be the first to be administered the vaccine in Chhattisgarh. In the National Capital of Delhi, three people, including a nurse, sanitation worker and a doctor will receive the Coronavirus vaccine shots at LNJP hospital, in the presence of CM Arvind Kejriwal.
First Parliamentarian to get Coronavirus vaccine in Noida
Dr Mahesh Sharma, former Minister of State for Environment and sitting Parliamentarian will become the first MP to be administered the vaccine at Kailash Hospital in Noida. He will receive inoculated around 11 am on Saturday morning.
Padma Shree awardee among doctors vaccinated in Assam
In Assam, State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed that 12 doctors would be administered the first dosage for Coronavirus vaccine. The list includes ex-VC of Srimanta Sankardeva University of Health Sciences, Dr Umesh Chandra Sarma, Padma Shri award winner Dr Ilias Ali, Sahitya Akademi awardee Dr Dhrubajyoti Borah, GMC principal Dr Achyut Baishya and GMCH superintendent Dr Abhijeet Sharma.
Sanitation workers vaccinated in Goa
At the same time, sanitation workers, who work in Coronavirus wards at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) will be among those who will be given the vaccine shot today. Highlighting that the beneficiaries might decline to take the vaccine, a hospital official conceded, “Someone can refuse to take the vaccine, so we don’t know who will be actually the first person to get the vaccine.”
Coronavirus vaccine programme in Pune
While speaking about the development, Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol emphasised, “The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will start the vaccine drive in the city at Kamla Nehru hospital at around 10 am. The first beneficiary will be administered the dose only after the Prime Minister officially launches the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive.”
In Pune, the drive will be carried out at 8 centres, namely, Ruby Hall Clinic, Kamla Nehru hospital, Rajiv Gandhi hospital, Jayabai Nanasaheb Surat maternity home, Sassoon General Hospital, Noble Hospital, Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital and Bharati hospital. Reportedly, a total of 100 workers will be vaccinated at each centre. It must be mentioned that the beneficiaries can refuse to get vaccinated.
As per data, PMC has received 48000 doses for 220000 people and is likely to receive more in the coming days. About 55000 healthcare workers, including 115000 serving in the public sector, have registered for the vaccination on the CoWIN app.
Who has been kept out of the Coronavirus vaccine drive?
Yesterday, the Centre came up with new safety regulations saying Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin vaccine would not be administered to people below 18 years of age. According to the reports, a letter from the office of additional secretary at the union health ministry carrying a comparative factsheet for the two approved vaccines under emergency authorisation rules revealed that the government has “not recommended” their authorisation to people below 18 years of age.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry on Thursday said that interchangeability of COVID-19 vaccines will not be permitted and the second dose of the vaccine inoculated should be the same vaccine injected as the first dose.
