Coronavirus Vaccine LIVE Updates: India Kick-starts Covid-19 Vaccination Drive With 1st Shot to Sanitation Worker at AIIMS Delhi; Health Minister Hails ‘Sanjeevani’

Coronavirus Vaccine LIVE Updates: India today launched the world’s largest vaccination drive against the Covid-19 pandemic, which has claimed more than 1.3 million lives, sunk economies, shuttered businesses and shattered daily life the world over. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated one of the world’s largest vaccination campaigns as part of efforts by the populous nation to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control starting with two locally-manufactured shots. The government had granted approval to two vaccines, Covishield and Covaxin, developed by the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech, respectively. In the first phase of the drive, 3 crore people will be vaccinated on priority.

The Prime Minister’s Office has said this will be the world’s largest vaccination programme covering the entire length and breadth of the country and all preparations are in place to initiate it on the principles of “Jan Bhagidari”. On the eve of the commencement of the drive, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan reviewed the preparations and visited the dedicated COVID control room set up at the Nirman Bhawan premises of the health ministry. The drive has been planned in a phased manner, identifying priority groups. Healthcare workers, both in government and private sectors including ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) workers, will receive the vaccine during this phase, the ministry said in a statement.