The much awaited COVID-19 vaccination drive started in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visiting Balrampur Hospital in Lucknow in the morning and reviewing the vaccination programme.
In the Balrampur Hospital, the first dose of the vaccine was administered to Dr Praveen Kumar and staff nurse Geeta Devi and the chief minister interacted with the staff of the hospital.
“Today is a day of happiness and excitement for the people of the country. The vaccination, which began under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will prove to be the final blow against COVID-19 in the country. India is the first nation that has launched two vaccines against coronavirus. I congratulate the scientists and the doctors, including the PM, on this achievement,” the CM said.
Some selfish people with vested interests were spreading rumours about the coronavirus vaccine, he said.
“We are always vigilant. There is a need to avoid any kind of rumour and people should wait for their turn,” he added.
The CM said the vaccination also carried forward PM Modi’s resolution of Make in India.
“The vaccination has started country-wide on Saturday in India. Those who have been administered the vaccine on Saturday will get the second dose after 28 days. People should wait for their turn and everyone’s order has been set,” the CM said and added, “We have to break the chain of coronavirus.”
It may be mentioned that many doctors and nurses were vaccinated in Balrampur Hospital. They were kept under observation for half an hour and all of them were completely healthy. “Initially I was scared but after taking the dose, I am feeling completely healthy. I am happy that India is the first country in the world to successfully make the vaccine,” said Geeta Devi, the staff nurse of Balrampur Hospital, who took the first shot of the vaccine.
“I congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this achievement and thank the scientists of the country. At this point of time, when the country is moving ahead in this battle against a pandemic, we have to remain alert for the people who are spreading rumours,” the chief minister said.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 vaccination was underway at 317 centres in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. Over 31,700 health workers across the state’s 75 districts were vaccinated on the first day. In the first phase, health workers are being administered the vaccine.
Balrampur Hospital is among the 12 vaccination centres in the state capital. Other vaccination centres in Lucknow included King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI), Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Sahara Hospital, Medanta Hospital, Veerangana Avantibai Hospital, Era’s Medical College, TS Misra Medical College and two community health centres located on the city outskirts.
The vaccination drive was successfully flagged off in other major cities of the state, including Noida, Varanasi and Prayagraj. Member of Lok Sabha from Gautam Buddha Nagar, Dr Mahesh Sharma, became the first parliamentarian to be vaccinated on the first day.
The state has so far received over one million vaccine doses against 1.1 million sought for the first phase.
Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Amit Mohan Prasad said the first phase vaccination was to be largely organised in government hospitals, health centres, primary health centres, district hospitals, district women’s hospitals, urban health centres, government and private medical colleges.
A health worker at King George’s Medical University said, “We are ready for the vaccination. It’s the first day, so we are excited but nervous too.”
‘All preparations have been done. I want to get vaccinated because I worked throughout this COVID-19 phase,’ he said.
As many as 1,200 health workers were to be vaccinated at 12 centres in Lucknow on Saturday.