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Business News/ News / India/  Covid vaccine: Over 10,000 healthcare workers inoculated in Gujarat on first day
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Covid vaccine: Over 10,000 healthcare workers inoculated in Gujarat on first day

Over 16,000 persons were scheduled to receive the jab during the day, but some beneficiaries did not turn up
  • The Gujarat Health Department has identified 4.31 lakh health workers for vaccination in the first phase
  • A doctor receives a Covid-19 vaccine in presence of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel (ANI)Premium
    A doctor receives a Covid-19 vaccine in presence of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel (ANI)

    Day one of the Covid-19 inoculation drive went smoothly in Gujarat on Saturday with around 10,500 healthcare workers -- against expected 16,000 -- receiving the vaccine dose, a senior official said.

    "Reports are coming in from different centres, and it has been good everywhere, without any problem," said Dr Nayan Jani, state immunization officer.

    Over 16,000 persons were scheduled to receive the jab during the day, but some beneficiaries did not turn up, he said. The drive was conducted at 161 centres.

    Dr Naveen Thacker, a paediatrician, became the first recipient of vaccine jab in Gujarat. He received a shot of Covishield vaccine at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, where Chief Minister Vijay Rupani launched the drive.

    Rupani had earlier put the figure of those vaccinated at "more than 16,000".

    "The program has been a success, and nobody complained of any side effect....The process will continue on a daily basis," the chief minister had said in the afternoon.

    Some leading private doctors including members of the state's COVID-19 task force were among the first recipients of the coronavirus vaccine at the civil hospital here.

    Dr Thacker, who is a member of task forces on coronavirus and the vaccination drive, said he did not feel any adverse effect even an hour after getting inoculated and was feeling blessed.

    "The vaccine is totally safe, effective, and we can defeat coronavirus only when all of us get vaccinated. This is the beginningof a final war," he said.

    At a centre in Rajkot, medical van driver Ashokbhai was the first recipient of the vaccine dose.

    He felt "honoured" to be the first one to get the jab, he said, adding that "everyone should take it".

    Former president of the Medical Council of India Dr Ketan Desai was the second person to receive the vaccine at the civil hospital here.

    "Nobody should have fear of side effects of this vaccine as it has passed through many trials and experts have certified it," he said.

    Medical Superintendents of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar civil hospitals were also among the first to get vaccinated.

    Sitting and former MLAs, MPs and ministers remained present as the drive began at various vaccination centres alongwith the rest of the country.

    The Gujarat Health Department has identified 4.31 lakh health workers for vaccination in the first phase. In the second phase, 6.93 lakh frontline workers, such as police personnel, 1.05 crore persons above age 50, and 2.75 lakh people under 50 but with co-morbidities will be covered.

    Gujarat has received a total 5.41 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine so far, Dr Jani said. The state has not received any Covaxin doses yet, he added.

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    This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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    Published: 16 Jan 2021, 08:11 PM IST
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