NOIDA: With a Covishield jab on his forearm, BJP leader and Gautam Buddh Nagar MP Mahesh Sharma on Saturday got vaccinated for coronavirus as a 'healthcare worker', becoming among the first parliamentarians in India to get inoculated for the infection.
Sharma, who is also a trained MBBS doctor, got vaccinated at 11 am at his Kailash Hospital in Noida Sector 27, hospital spokesperson V B Joshi told PTI.
The 61-year-old former Union minister was then kept in observation for 30 minutes at the hospital, Joshi said.
"The beginning of the end for COVID-19 has started today with Prime Minister Narendra Modi launching the world's largest vaccination campaign.
As a doctor, I have also got vaccinated for coronavirus. I am feeling absolutely fine. The vaccine is completely safe and all of you should get vaccinated," Sharma tweeted in Hindi.
The vaccination drive started in Gautam Buddh Nagar at six centres across Noida and Greater Noida as the mega inoculation drive was launched in the country on Saturday.
The first vaccine at a government facility was administered to a healthcare worker at the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Bhangel at 11.
31 am in the presence of District Magistrate Suhas L Y and Chief Medical Officer Deepak Ohri, officials said.
Today, on the first day of the vaccination, 600 healthcare workers will be administered the vaccine in Gautam Buddh Nagar, Dr Neeraj Tyagi, district immunisation officer, told PTI, adding today's drive will specifically cover healthcare workers.
The six centres where the vaccination drive is underway are Child PGI in Sector 30, Kailash Hospital in Sector 27, CHCs at Bhangel and Bisrakh, Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) and Sharda Hospital in Greater Noida, the officials said.
Gautam Buddh Nagar has received 28,840 doses of India-made Covishield vaccine for the first round of vaccination, according to officials.