India / 4.27L vaccine doses given on 1st day of phase 2: Health Min

New Delhi: India began the second phase of vaccination against COVID-19 on Monday, 1 March, with visuals of the vaccine drive emerging from several parts of the country. On Monday evening, India’s Ministry of Health and Welfare said that till 7 pm, 4.27 lakh vaccine doses have been administered. In this phase of vaccination, people above 60 years of age and those above 45 with co-morbidities are eligible to get the jabs.

According to the ministry,6.44 lakh people booked appointments on the Co-Win portal on Monday to get vaccinated, and 25 lakh potential beneficiaries registered on the portal on the same day, out of which 50,000 were healthcare and frontline workers.

So far, 1.47 crore vaccines have been administered in India, 45 days into the pan-India COVID vaccine drive, the ministry said.

The registration for phase two began on the morning of 1 March. Registration and the booking for appointment for the vaccination can be done through the Co-WIN portal (cowin.gov.in) and the Aarogya Setu app. "There is NO #CoWIN App for beneficiary registration. The App on Play Store is for administrators only," the Health Ministry clarified on Monday.

PM Modi, Amit Shah & Others Receive First Dose

Among those who took their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

“Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in quick time to strengthen the global fight against COVID-19. I appeal to all those who are eligible to take the vaccine. Together, let us make India COVID-19 free!” PM Modi tweeted.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also took the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday. He was vaccinated by Medanta Hospital doctors, reported ANI.

VP Venkaiah Naidu was administered the vaccination at Chennai’s Government Medical College on Monday. “I appeal to all the eligible people to get themselves vaccinated proactively and join the fight against novel coronavirus,” he wrote on Twitter.

Nationalist Congress party leader Sharad Pawar and Union Cabinet minister Dr Jitendra Singh were also inoculated on the first day of Phase 2. Pawar received the jab in Mumbai’s JJ Hospital, while Dr Jitendra Singh was vaccinated AIIMS.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan told news agency ANI that he plans on getting vaccinated on Tuesday. "I will do the booking today and I plan to get vaccinated tomorrow," he said.

“I appeal to all citizens who are above 60 years of age, those above 45 years with comorbidities, all MPs-MLAs and even Opposition MLAs to get vaccinated. This would send a message to people that they should get vaccinated at the earliest.”

In the first phase of vaccination, only healthcare and frontline workers were eligible to be vaccinated. Over 1.4 crore vaccine shots have been given in India since the vaccination drive was kicked off on 16 January.

Two vaccine candidates – Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and Serum Institute's Covishield – were given approval by India's top drug regulator earlier in January.

India has recorded over 1.10 crore cases of coronavirus till now, with the death toll standing at over 1.57 lakh.