NEW DELHI: Delhi saw 4,319 healthcare workers turning up to get vaccinated, a little over half of what was expected by the Delhi government. The government had set a target of 8,100 to be vaccinated on Day 1 but the turnout was only 53.32%. It was no less than a festival on Saturday, with hospitals in the national capital decorated for the occasion.
At the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Manish Kumar, a sanitation worker, became the first recipient of the vaccine in the national capital. Sending out a strong message that the vaccines were safe, AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria followed by NITI Aayog member Dr VK Paul also got vaccinated. At the Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan Hospital, a nurse from Kerala, Biji Tomy, got the first Covid-19 vaccine.
About 51 people across all 11 districts reported adverse events following the vaccination. According to the NDMC, two healthcare workers suffered mild tightness in the chest. They were kept under observation and discharged 30 minutes later after they felt normal. At the central government-run Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, only 31 people turned up.
At the Delhi government’s Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, around 50 received the vaccine. The numbers at private hospitals were higher. “When we got the news that our hospital will be a vaccination site, it was a ray of hope. We even did a dry run,” said Sahar Qureshi of the Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket.