Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday inaugurated the COVID-19 vaccination drive for beneficiaries in the 18 to 44 age group, in Tiruppur district.
Officials in the district administration said that the vaccination drive was held at the premises of Netaji Apparel Park in Ettiveerampalayam near Tiruppur city. A total of 20 employees of various knitwear units operating in the apparel park received their first shots of the Covishield vaccine on Thursday afternoon. Mr. Stalin, who is touring parts of western Tamil Nadu, as part of an official visit to take stock of the COVID-19 situation, also presented the vaccination certificates to some of the beneficiaries during the event, officials said.
J. Sathishkumar, 31, one of the beneficiaries, said that he was looking forward to getting vaccinated and that he was glad to have received the vaccine shot in the presence of the Chief Minister. “Everybody must get vaccinated so that we can be free at our workplaces without any fear,” he told The Hindu. A native of Villupuram, Mr. Sathishkumar said that he has been employed at the Human Resources Department at one of the knitwear units in Netaji Apparel Park.
Following the inauguration of the vaccination drive, Mr. Stalin accepted petitions and cheques from various industrialists from Tiruppur district. Officials said 14 industrialists donated a total amount of ₹2.7 crore to the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund for COVID-19 relief.
Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian, Tiruppur MP K. Subbarayan and District Collector K. Vijayakarthikeyan were among those present at the event.