Prime Minister Narendra Modi was administered the first shot of the homegrown Covaxin Covid-19 vaccine on Monday as India began the second phase vaccination drive against Covid-19.
The Prime Minister was administered the vaccine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences early Monday morning, developed by Bharat Biotech, by nurses P Niveda from Puducherry and Rosamma Ali from Kerala.
"Took my first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at AIIMS. Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in quick time to strengthen the global fight against Covid-19," he said in a tweet and appealed to all those who are eligible to take the vaccine and make India free of Covid-19.
Sister P Niveda, who inoculated PM Modi today, later said that after PM Modi was administered the vaccine, he asked them where they were from. He further added that "Laga bhi di, pata hi nahi chala" (the vaccine was administered and I did not even know).
"Sir (PM Modi) has been administered the first dose of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, the second dose will be given in 28 days. He asked us where do we belong to & after vaccination he said, "Laga bhi di, pata hi nahi chala"," P Niveda told ANI.
Modi’s brief visit to AIIMS was heavily laden with messages to address the doubts over Covaxin and messages to poll-bound states of Assam, Puducherry and Kerala.
The prime minister sported an Assamese 'gamosa' on his visit to AIIMS while the nurses were from poll-bound states of Kerala and Puducherry.
India is expanding its Covid-19 vaccination drive from Monday to cover senior citizens above the age of 60 years and those above 45 with co-morbidities as few states witnessed a surge in fresh cases.