NEW DELHI: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi took the first dose of the
Covid-19 vaccine at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here around 6.25 am on Monday, the first day of India opening immunisation for those above 60 years of age and those over 45 who have co-morbidities.
The government hopes that given Modi’s public presence and his large social media following, his decision to take the shot will boost the vaccination drive by increasing public trust in Covid vaccines.
The PM, who is 70, was administered Covaxin, the indigenous vaccine developed by
Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). This decision too seemed deliberate as it is seen as a vote of confidence in the vaccine that has been criticised by some experts for lacking efficacy data.
“Took my first dose of the
Covid-19 vaccine at AIIMS. Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in
quick time to strengthen the global fight against Covid-19,” Modi tweeted about an hour after taking the jab. “I appeal to all those who are eligible to take the vaccine. Together, let us make India Covid-19 free,” he added.
This assumes significance as India has started the second phase of vaccination targeting a larger population at a time when it is at a very crucial juncture with many states reporting an upswing in Covid-19 cases. Wider coverage of vaccination can help India stay ahead of the curve.
“Since daily case numbers from many pockets across India indicate a possible silent spread over the last weeks, we need to aggressively vaccinate now to prevent these numbers from swelling, and getting converted to deaths. Let’s also keep in mind that it takes many days to develop immunity even after the shot. We are at a key juncture,” Oommen C Kurian, senior fellow, health initiative at ORF, said.
Apart from the PM, many ministers and chief ministers are likely to get vaccinated in this phase. Health minister
Harsh Vardhan is expected to get the shot on Tuesday.
Dr Randeep Guleria, director of AIIMS, told TOI that he received information about the PM’s visit for vaccination on Sunday. “As there is a lot of rush in the OPD on Monday and the PM didn’t want to hamper patient services, he offered to visit early in the morning,” Dr Guleria said. He added that no special arrangements were made.
“We asked two nurses, Sister P Niveda from
Puducherry and Rosamma Anil from Kerala, who are part of the vaccinating team, to come early. They didn’t know about the PM’s visit. They thought it was for some VIP, possibly the health minister or home minister,” the AIIMS director said.
Modi arrived at AIIMS around 6.15 am. He was administered Covaxin by Sister Niveda around 6.25 am. Niveda, who has been working at AIIMS for three years, said the PM asked her where she was from. The PM also joked with the AIIMS staff to lighten the mood. “Are you going to use a needle meant for veterinary purposes?” he asked the two nurses. The nurses apparently did not understand the question but said “no”.
The PM then explained that politicians are known to be “very thick skinned”, and hence, he was asking if they planned to use some special thick needles for him. On hearing this, the nurses laughed. After vaccination, Modi told to the nurse, “Laga bhi di, pata hi nahi chala (already done, I didn’t even feel it).” The PM will be administered the second dose of the vaccine in 28 days.
Besides the PM, Union ministers S Jaishankar and Jitendra Singh took the first dose of the vaccine at AIIMS on Monday. K Vijayraghavan, principal scientific advisor to the government, also took the first dose.