First batch of Covishield will suffice for healthcare workers, says top TN official
The nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive will be flagged off at 10.30 am, following which the Chief Minister will inaugurate the vaccination drive in Madurai, said Radhakrishnan.
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The Centre has procured 1.1 crore doses of Covishield from the Serum Institute of India and 55 lakh doses of Covaxin from Bharat Biotech to inoculate healthcare workers. (File photo | PTI) By Express News Service
MADURAI: Principal Secretary to the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Dr J Radhakrishnan and State Minister for Cooperation, Sellur K Raju, inspected the preparatory work for Friday’s Statewide Covid-19 vaccination drive at the Government Madurai Rajaji Hospital.
A medic administers the first dose of Covishield vaccine to a frontline worker in the presence of Union health minister. (PTI)
NEW DELHI: India kicked off the world s largest Covid-19 inoculation drive on Saturday with thousands of frontline workers and doctors receiving their first vaccine shots on Day 1.
With shots of the Covishield and Covaxin vaccines administered at medical centres across India, citizens heaved a collective sigh of relief in hope that it could finally be the beginning of the end of the Covid-19 trauma.
Launching the campaign earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the vaccines will ensure a decisive victory for the country over the coronavirus pandemic. Ever since its first confirmed case of coronavirus in January last year, India has reported over 1 crore infections and 1.5 lakh fatalities so far.
NEW DELHI: In the backdrop of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout in the country, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari on Saturday raised questions over the emergency use approval given to the indigenously developed vaccine Covaxin and alleged that it was sans due process .
India recently granted two vaccines Oxford-AstraZeneca s Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, and Bharat Biotech s Covaxin approval on restricted emergency use. As vaccine roll out begins, it is all a bit puzzling India has no policy framework for authorising emergency use. Yet, two vaccines have been approved for restricted use in emergency situation, Tewari said in a tweet just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the vaccination drive.
Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan sparred on Twitter on Saturday with the Opposition leader raising questions over the emergency use approval given to the indigenously developed vaccine Covaxin and the BJP leader hitting back alleging that Tewari was only passionate about spreading rumours.
Telangana administers only Covishield on Day 1
By IANS| Updated: 17th January 2021 12:44 am IST
Hyderabad, Jan 16 : No Covid-19 vaccine beneficiary in Telangana was administered Covaxin on Saturday, the first day of the vaccination programme.
The vaccine manufactured by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech was not used for the rollout. All the beneficiaries in the state were given only Covishield, which has been manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune.
At the launch of vaccination at Gandhi Hospital, state health minister Eatala Rajender said only Covishield will be administered as per the guidelines of the Union Ministry Of Health and Family Welfare.
Health officials said 90 per cent of targetted 4,200 beneficiaries were administered the vaccine at 140 centres across 33 districts.