As many as 8,062 health workers were inoculated in the first phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive in Kerala on Saturday, informed State Health Minister KK Shailaja.

The registration for the second phase of COVID vaccination has also been completed in the state.

"8,062 health workers received COVID19 vaccination in the first stage today. The highest number of health workers (857) received the vaccine in the Palakkad district. Registration for the second phase of COVID vaccination has also been completed in the state," Shailaja said.

Kerala registered 5,960 new coronavirus cases, 5,011 recoveries, and 27 deaths on Saturday. The total numbers of active and recovered cases in the state are 68,416 and 7,70,768 respectively.

Dr Jose Chacko Periyapuram, who received the first Covishield vaccine in Ernakulam, said the injection was very transparent.

"This is a great moment for us. We health workers were gone through a difficult time. I am very happy to be a part of the world's largest vaccination drive," Dr Periyapuram said.

The doctor said that a message should go across that the vaccine is safe.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched India's vaccination drive against the novel coronavirus via video conferencing.

Billed as the world's largest vaccination program, covering the entire length and breadth of the country, the drive aims to first inoculate millions of its healthcare and frontline workers and reach an estimated 3 crore people by the end of its first phase.