A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took his first dose of Covid-19 vaccine in the second phase drive, senior Union ministers, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan also got themselves vaccinated in the national capital on Tuesday.
While Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad got inoculated in Patna, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi got his first shot of anti-coronavirus vaccine in Rampur.
Dr Vardhan along with his wife took the first dose of indigenously developed Covid-19 vaccine- Covaxin, at the Delhi Heart and Lung Institute, by paying Rs 250 each for the jab.
After completing the observation period of half-an-hour post taking the first dose of the vaccine, Harsh Vardhan addressed the media and appealed eligible people to get themselves vaccinated.
“Today, I and my wife took the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at Delhi Heart and Lung Hospital. The observation time of half-an-hour is completed. Hospital authorities have informed me that I and my wife have been given Covaxin. In the last half-an-hour, my wife and I 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 having specified co-morbidities to take the vaccine,” he added.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who took his first Covid-19 vaccine dose at the Army's Research and Referral Hospital, dismissed all rumours and said that the vaccine is completely safe.
“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. #LargestVaccineDrive,” the minister said in a tweet.
“I salute the efforts of India's scientists and doctors who developed the vaccine in a short span of time. I also thank the doctors and paramedic staff at the RR Hospital for the vaccination. I urge everyone who is eligible to take the vaccine and make India Covid-free,” he added.
Union minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad was administered the first dose of anti-coronavirus vaccine in Patna for which he also paid Rs 250.
He said all the Union ministers have decided to voluntarily pay the price fixed for the vaccine.
“I also got myself administered the made in India vaccine — Covaxin — at AIIMS Patna,” Prasad tweeted.
“Though the coronavirus vaccine is free in Bihar, I paid Rs 250 to the hospital as price for the shot,” he said.
Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi took the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine at Rampur's KD Dalmia Eye Hospital and was administered Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.
After getting inoculated, the minister thanked the medical staff at the hospital and urged all those eligible to get themselves vaccinated against Covid-19.
Meanwhile, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, the Lok Sabha member from Srinagar, also got his first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at a hospital in Srinagar. His son Omar Abdullah tweeted and said, ” Thank you to the doctors, nurses and staff at SKIMS, Srinagar. Today my 85 year old father & my mother had their first COVID jab. My father has a number of health issues including being on immunosuppressants for a kidney transplant. If he can get the vaccine, you should as well.”
Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan was also administered with the Covid-19 vaccine.
