Over 10,000 healthcare workers vaccinated in Gujarat on first day

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

''Reports are coming in from different centres, and ithas been good everywhere, without any problem,'' said Dr NayanJani, state immunization officer.

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

Dr Naveen Thacker, a paediatrician, became the firstrecipient of vaccine jab in Gujarat. He received a shot ofCovishield vaccine at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, whereChief Minister Vijay Rupani launched the drive.

Rupani had earlier put the figure of those vaccinatedat ''more than 16,000''.

''The program has been a success, and nobody complainedof any side effect....The process will continue on a dailybasis,'' the chief minister had said in the afternoon.

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

Dr Thacker, who is a member of task forces oncoronavirus and the vaccination drive, said he did not feelany adverse effect even an hour after getting inoculated andwas feeling blessed.

''The vaccine is totally safe, effective, and we candefeat coronavirus only when all of us get vaccinated. This isthe beginningof a final war,'' he said.

At a centre in Rajkot, medical van driver Ashokbhaiwas 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 DrKetan Desai was the second person to receive the vaccine atthe civil hospital here.

''Nobody should have fear of side effects of thisvaccine as it has passed through many trials and experts havecertified it,'' he said.

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

Sitting and former MLAs, MPs and ministers remainedpresent as the drive began at various vaccination centresalongwith the rest of the country.

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

Gujarat has received a total 5.41 lakh doses ofCovishield vaccine so far, Dr Jani said. The state has notreceived any Covaxin doses yet, he added.