Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches nation-wide vaccination drive

India, one of the worst hit countries of coronavirus attack, has begun rolling out the COVID-19 vaccines Covishield from the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin on Saturday. Reportedly as the largest in the world, India is aiming to provide vaccines for a population of 1.3 billion.

A sanitation worker, a healthcare worker and AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guleria have become the first persons in the country to receive the vaccines outside of a trial following its rapid clinical approval.

According to reports, almost 100 beneficiaries will receive the first shots of these two indigenous vaccines.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emotional while virtually launching the nationwide vaccination drive remembered the spirit shown by the health workers in the country and condoled the tragedy caused by the pandemic.

“This disease kept people away from their families. The mothers cried for their children and had to stay away. People could not meet their elderly admitted at hospitals. We could not bid adieu to those with proper rituals who died due to corona,” Prime minister said.

Hailing India’s achievement of manufacturing two coronavirus vaccines, PM Modi said, “It takes years to prepare vaccines. But in the shortest span of time, we have not only one but two India-made vaccines.”

“In the next step, we will take this number to 30 crore. There are only three countries in the world with more than 30 crore population: India, the US and China. Hence, this is going to be the biggest vaccination drive,” PM Modi added.

Asking people to recieve the complete course PM Modi dismissed the rumors spreading against the jab. “Around 60% of children in the world get vaccines that are manufactured in India. PM Modi also said that Indian vaccines are cheaper than the foreign ones. “Some foreign-made vaccines need to be stored at minus 70-degree Celsius temperature. One dose of some vaccines costs over Rs 5,000,” he said.

“Remember, these vaccines comprise two shots. And taking both the shots is necessary. It will also take some time after the second shot to show some effects,” he said.