Over 4K HCWs get shots amid cheers & applause
New Delhi/Noida: After witnessing three waves of COVID-19 which has claimed over 10,000 lives so far, Delhi began its vaccination drive on Saturday administering the jab to over 4,300 health workers amid cheers and applause.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that the drive was successfully conducted on the first day.
Against a target of 8,117 health workers, a total of 4,319 were administered vaccines on the first day in 11 districts of Delhi, official figures showed.
According to official data, one "severe" and 52 "minor" cases of AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) were reported among health workers who received the shots.
On the first day of a nationwide vaccination drive against COVID-19, healthcare workers from across Delhi recounted their experience as 'a landmark event' and experienced a 'sense of relief because there was finally some hope on the horizon".
These healthcare workers include doctors, nurses,
paramedical staff, lab assistants/technicians and cleaning or support staff.
At Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital's 1st floor OPD, currently their vaccination venue, 32 beneficiaries received the Covishield vaccine. Dr Farha Hussain, Specialist Anesthesia and Incharge COVID ICU received the vaccine
at 12:30 pm and said that she did not experience any adverse effects.
At Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, 100 healthcare workers including 20 doctors received the Covishield vaccine. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan also visited the facility and interacted with healthcare workers taking the vaccine. Dr Chand Wattal, Chairman, Department of Microbiology was the first person to get vaccinated.
At New Delhi Municipal Council's Charak Palika Hospital, DR CK Bakshi said that 43 healthcare workers were administered the Covishield vaccine. Dr Anand Kumar Singh, the nodal officer for this exercise, was the first person to get vaccinated At South Delhi's Meder Hospital, where more than 60 healthcare staff received the Covishield vaccine, Head Nurse Julie Shaji expressed relief and happiness at finally having some modicum of defence against COVID-19.
Dr. Rajat Aggarwal, Additional Director and HOD (Critical Care Unit), Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, said, "I was very happy because I was the first person to get vaccinated at the hospital and yes I believe this is the dawn of the new era that we fighting against covid-19 and we might be able to succeed in this battle pretty soon. I am not experiencing any kind of symptoms and feel fine. Because it was the first day to start so there were minor technical glitches in the beginning but then everything went smoothly afterward".
Health workers who got their first shots of Covaxin at AIIMS on Saturday were made to sign a consent form that promised compensation in case of a "severe adverse event" related to the vaccine.
Meanwhile, the first phase of Covid-19 vaccination was held at 10 centers across Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad district on Saturday. Member of Parliament from GB Nagar Dr Mahesh Sharma got himself vaccinated first at Kailash Hospital. Post vaccination, MP Dr. Mahesh Sharma said got vaccinated for coronavirus as a 'healthcare worker'.
