NEW DELHI: Health workers were the first recipients of COVID-19 vaccine jabs as the inoculation drive kicked off at the Andaman and Nicobar command on Tuesday, the Defence Ministry said.
A senior health officer and 36 other health workers were vaccinated as per protocol and with all precautionary measures at the Indian naval hospital ship Dhanvantari that comes under the tri-services command, the ministry said in a statement.
"All front line workers (FLWs) of the command will be vaccinated subsequently in a phased manner. A total of 370 doses of the vaccine for the first phase have been received from the Directorate of Health Services, Andaman and Nicobar Administration," it stated.
The vaccination drive was inaugurated by Lt Gen Manoj Pande, the Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command, it noted.
"In the following few days, the remaining doses will be administered to other health workers, including those in the outlying units in the northern and southern group of islands in a phased manner," the ministry mentioned.