Uttarakhand kick-starts COVID-19 vaccine roll-out across state

Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat visits Doon Medical College during vaccination drive (Photo/ ANI)
Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat visits Doon Medical College during vaccination drive (Photo/ ANI)

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 16 (ANI): As the first phase of COVID-19 vaccination drive has kicked off across India, the Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Saturday started the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out in the state from Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) in Dehradun.

Appreciating the health care workers in the state, the Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat said, "I bow in front of the health care workers who worked for six to eight hours a day wearing PPE-kits during the ongoing pandemic."

"Everyone in the state will be healthy. We just need to be patient," he said adding that they should keep following the standard operating procedure (SoPs) of COVID-19.

Speaking to ANI Rawat said people should trust the scientist for developing the vaccine.

A nodal officer of GDMC, Dr Anurag Agarwal who got vaccinated today said this COVID-19 vaccine roll-out across the state is the final battle against the virus and he hopes this vaccination drive to be successful.

"Being a nodal officer, I volunteered to set an example and to motivate others," he said.

"Irrespective of being a diabetic patient, I got myself vaccinated. I am all right," he added.

Shailender Dwivedi, a health care worker at GDMC also got vaccinated.

"The dream of PM Modi to beat the pandemic is finally being fulfilled," he said.

"I am proud of being vaccinated and urge the people of the state to get vaccinated too," he added.

According to the health directorate, as many as 3,400 health workers will be vaccinated today at 34 centres across 13 districts of Uttrakhand.

The health officials informed that 1,13,000 doses of Covishield vaccine from Serum Institute of India (SII) were received by the state.

During the first phase of the drive in Uttarakhand, 1,640 doses are being made available to health care workers of central health units, 3,450 armed force medical services and 1,07,530 doses to health care workers of state government and private health services.

'Web Casting' is being done at all vaccination centres to keep an eye on the ongoing vaccination drive.

The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier today through video conferencing. (ANI)