Punjab CM lauds COVID-19 vaccination drive, says there is no fear about vaccine

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. (Photo/ANI)
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. (Photo/ANI)

Mohali (Punjab) [India], January 16 (ANI): Expressing happiness over the beginning of the vaccination drive against the novel coronavirus, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday said that there is no fear among the people about the vaccine.

He further said that he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide the vaccine for free to lower-income groups.

"I am very happy that the Covid-19 vaccination drive has begun. We have started with the health workers and it will gradually come down to other people. I have written to the PM to request that the vaccine be given for free to people of lower-income groups," the Chief Minister told ANI.

Singh further said that the vaccine was safe and there was no fear.

"Scientists and doctors have said that the vaccine is safe. Even the Queen of England has had it and she is 93-years-old, her husband who is 99-years-old has had it. So what is the fear? There is no fear," he said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched India's vaccination drive against the novel coronavirus via video conferencing.

Billed as the world's largest vaccination program, covering the entire length and breadth of the country, the drive aims to first inoculate millions of its healthcare and frontline workers and reach an estimated 3 crore people by the end of its first phase.

The state of Punjab has received 2,04,500 doses of the Covishield vaccine. Over the next five days, 1.74 lakh health workers will receive the vaccine with 40,000 covered every day. (ANI)