JOIN USTamil Nadu Health Minister Dr C Vijayabaskar receives Covid-19 vaccine
Tamil Nadu Health Minister Dr C Vijayabaskar on Friday received a shot of Covaxin, the indigenous Covid-19 vaccine, at a government facility here as part of the efforts to boost confidence among health workers to get vaccinated.
Vijayabaskar took the vaccine from the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH), the premier government medical institute in Tamil Nadu, as a “medical professional”, and as a member of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan had taken the Covaxi jab on January 17 in Tiruchirappalli.
After getting vaccinated, Vijayabaskar said that he had chosen Covaxin for two reasons. “Firstly, it is an Indian vaccine developed fully in our country, and secondly, it is the vaccine that very few people have taken in the state. I thought I should take the least preferred vaccine so as to build confidence among healthcare workers on getting vaccinated,” the minister said.
Tamil Nadu has achieved just 40 per cent of its capacity in getting its healthcare workers vaccinated for the novel coronavirus in the first six days (January 16 to January 21) of the vaccination drive. As many as 42,947 persons have taken Covishield and Covaxin against the planned capacity of 1,01,600. Of this, only 907 have taken Covaxin as against to its capacity of 3,600 during the same period.
The Health Minister said the state has received over 10.45 lakh Covishield vaccine vials, and 20,000 Covaxin shots. “We will receive another 1.69 lakh Covaxin shots on Friday,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr H V Hande, who was the health minister under late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran, took a shot of Covishield at the government-run Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KMCH). Hande, 94, said he had “absolutely no side effects” and encourage people to get vaccinated when their turn comes.
“So when it is your turn to get the vaccine – don't hesitate. It is a service we owe our country,” Dr Hande said in a statement.