Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan takes first shot of COVID-19 vaccine

The Chief Minister appealed to all eligible people to come forward and get themselves vaccinated.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday took the first jab of COVID-19 vaccine at a COVID-19 Vaccination Center, District Medical Office in Thiruvananthapuram.

“COVID-19 vaccination was a good experience. I experienced no pain of even the needle going inside the body. One can barely know when the vaccination is over,” he said.

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“Unlike other vaccinations, there is no pain of the medicine going into the body,” he added.

The Chief Minister appealed to all eligible people to come forward and get themselves vaccinated.

“I took half an hour rest, no physical discomfort has been noticed. Other ministers who took the vaccine jab also shared similar experiences,” he said.

Citing examples of vaccination drive against polio and smallpox, Vijayan said: “Vaccination has defended humanity from many viruses. I am saying this as there is a campaign by a few against the vaccination.” “Any hesitancy from your part can be a threat to the society and hence an injustice,” he said.

India on March 1 commenced its second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive to inoculate people above 60 years and those over 45 with comorbidities against the coronavirus.

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi administered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi. Several Union Ministers, including Amit Shah, S Jaishankar, Jitendra Singh, Dr Harsh Vardhan have also received their first COVID-19 vaccine jabs.

More than 1.56 crore (1,56,20,749) vaccine doses have been administered through 3,12,188 sessions in the country, as per the provisional report till 7 am today, the Union Health Ministry informed.