Madurai, Jan 16 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi KPalaniswami

on Saturday launched the first phase of COVID vaccination drive across

the State and said he and his family members too would get vaccinated.

“Not only me, but also my family members and all the people of the

country will have to take the vaccine,” he told reporters after launching

the vaccination drive at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) here.

The vaccination drive was launched at 166 centres in Tamil Nadu,

including government and private hospitals .

The first shot of COVID-19 vaccination was administered to Dr.K.Senthil,

State President of Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association, in the

presence of Mr.Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O.Panneerselvam

and state ministers, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the

first phase of the pan-India roll out of the vaccination against coronavirus

via video conferencing.

Dr.J.A.Jayalal, National President of Indian Medical Association and

GRH Dean Dr.J.Sangumani were among the doctors and healthcare

workers who took the vaccination.

The Chief Minister said both the vaccines--Covishield, manufactured by

the Serum Institute of India and Covaxin developed and manufactured by

Bharat Biotech--will be used in the state.

Mr Palaniswami said 28 days after the first shot, the second vaccine shot

will be administered and those who took the vaccine should be very careful

for the next 42 days after which immunity against coronavirus will develop.

When asked about some states expressing apprehensions about the use

of Covaxin, he said the permission to the vaccine was given by the central

government after detailed studies.

'People may have some initial apprehension about the vaccine, but when

the doctors themselves come forward to take the shot people’s views will

undergo a change', he added.

Mr.Palaniswami said the State had received 5,56,500 doses of COVID-19

vaccines, including 5,36,500 doses of Covishield and 20,000 doses of

Covaxin.

He said the vaccines would be administered to healthcare workers as

per the guidelines and six lakh of them had been identified in the first

phase.

When asked if he would take the COVID vaccination shot, the CM said

he would definitely get himself vaccinated. 'Not only me, but also my

family members and all the people of the country will have to take the

vaccine, he added.

Mr.Palaniswami said he was very happy that India was able to develop

vaccines for the coronavirus, which the entire world was looking forward

to and lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking initiatives towards

this.

The CM appealed to the people to trust the indigenously manufactured

vaccine and said the government has given approval only after proper

clinical trials and hence there was no need for any unnecessary worry.

Doctors have volunteered to get the inoculation to help dispel the

rumours about the vaccine, he said and added that the people who take

the vaccination should follow all guidelines to keep themselves safe.

Replying to a question, Mr Palaniswami said the state government would

consider regularising about 12,000 coronavirus frontline workers.

In Chennai, the vaccination was launched at the Rajiv Gandhi Government

General Hospital and its Dean Therani Rajan took the first vaccine jab.

“I had opted for Covaxin to create confidence in the minds of the people

as the number of people who had registered for this vaccine was less as

compared to Covishield,” Dr Rajan said.

“Except for the slight pain when the needle poked the skin, I have no

other problem,” he added.

At Apollo Hospitals here, which was one of the vaccination centres, its

Chairman Dr Pratap C Reddy got the vaccine shot.

UNI GSM-GV 1405