'What is wrong in getting vaccinated at home?'
If you are wondering about home vaccinations, this is the question Karnataka Agriculture Minister B C Patil also raised in a retort to his critics who raised eyebrows after the minister was administered the Covid-19 vaccine at home.
Patil landed into a controversy on Tuesday after he and his wife took the jab at his home instead of going to a designated hospital.
State Health Minister K Sudhakar, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhusan and many others said that this is against the standard protocol. An investigation will also be carried out in this matter.
Patil's take on the issue, was, however, different. Defending himself, the Agriculture Minister argued that if he went to a hospital to get vaccinated, people would have to wait due to his visit.
"Here I can attend to people and also can get vaccinated. What is wrong in this?," Patil who took his first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine asked.
He said that he did not commit a crime and wanted to avoid trouble for public.
"Have I done any theft or robbery? I have only taken the vaccine at home, which is not a crime," the Minister told reporters.
He said it was good that his inoculation became public, which would inspire others to take the shot.
However, Health Minister Sudhakar expressed his dissatisfaction over the conduct of Patil and said the medical team should have persuaded him to come to the hospital.
"Unless there is prior permission, no one is allowed to go home to vaccinate. It is wrong to go home to administer a vaccine," he said. The Minister added that he would issue a circular to the doctors not to administer vaccines at home.
When reporters sought Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's reaction, he said getting vaccinated was more important than the place where the inoculation happened.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several others had taken the vaccine shots in designated hospitals on Monday after India started its third phase of vaccinations wherein the elderly and those above 45 with comorbidties were administered the coronavirus vaccine.
(With PTI inputs)