New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday announced that he will not get vaccinated against COVID-19 for now as the primary focus now should be on priority groups. His announcement that he will take the vaccine later came as India geared up for the world’s largest vaccination programme.

Addressing commissioners, district collectors and superintendents of police in the state through video- conferencing, CM Chouhan said, “I have decided that I will not get vaccinated for now, first it should be administered to others. My turn should come afterwards, we have to work to ensure that priority groups are administered with the vaccine.”

Directing officials to prepare a secure system for the vaccination drive, the CM said that all districts of Madhya Pradesh are ready for the COVID-19 vaccination.

Earlier on Saturday, several states have conducted dry runs in preparation for the massive inoculation drive. India’s drugs regulator on Sunday approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive.

On Saturday, nearly 75 health workers underwent dummy vaccination in the Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal as part of the first dry run of COVID-19 vaccine programme in the state, an official earlier said.

He said as per the plan, 20,000 to 25,000 coronavirus warriors would first receive the vaccine when the inoculation process begins in the state.

The state government recently ordered closure of all COVID care centres in the state, except those in Bhopal, from January 1 in view of the low occupancy of beds.

When asked about the exact number of the COVID care centres which are now closed, state additional director (health) Veena Sinha said on Sunday that these centres were opened as per need and there was no fixed number.

Currently, no patient or suspected COVID-19 case remained admitted at these centres, following which the decision was taken to shut them, she said.

“Anyway, COVID-19 patients are getting treatment at hospitals and are also isolated at home,” she added.

(With Agency Inputs)