Covid-19 vaccines safe; I'll take the first dose on Saturday: Telangana health minister Etela Rajender

The Covid-19 vaccination will begin in Telangana at 139 centres on Saturday

Telangana health minister Etela Rajender said that he would take the Covid-19 vaccine dose first on Saturday at the state run Gandhi Hospital to dispel any doubts about its safety.

The nationwide Covid-19 vaccination programme is commencing on 16 January, with health care and other front line pandemic warriors covered initially.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jaganmohan Reddy would launch the programme at the Government General Hospital in Vijayawada.

The Serum Institute of India, Pune-manufactured Covishield and Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech-developed Covaxin are the two vaccines accorded emergency use authorisation by the central drug regulator.

“There should be no doubts, fears about the safety, efficiency of these vaccines. DGCI has approved them only after all thorough checks. As the captain of the state health department, and to instill confidence among the health workers, I will take the first vaccine dose,” Etela said on Friday while appealing for support from every quarters to “chase the pandemic away.”

Covaxin's Phase-3 trials are underway at 26 centres including the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad.

The Covid-19 vaccination would begin in Telangana at 139 centres on Saturday and would be soon expanded to 1,213 centres across the state. 57 medical centres are set up to attend to any cases of adverse reactions.

While Telangana health minister and senior state officials would be present at the vaccine site in the Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad, state's nodal centre for Covid-19 treatment, MPs and MLAs would participate in the programme in their respective constituencies.

“The vaccine doses received by Telangana as of now would be sufficient for the government sector health workers. We would extend the facility to private hospital employees and those above 50 years and comorbidities after receiving more doses from the centre,” Etela said.

AP officials said that Covid-19 vaccination would be conducted at 332 sites across the state on Saturday.

Andhra Pradesh has received 4.7 lakhs doses of Covishield and 20,000 doses of Covaxin.

4.7 lakh doses of Covishield sent to the 13 districts have reached the 332 locations.

At each of these sites, a team of six staff will work together to vaccinate 100 beneficiaries per day. Each team is supervised by a doctor.

2,324 staff operating statewide would be vaccinating about 33,200 health care workers per day, AP health officials said.