Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswami launches statewide COVID-19 vaccination drive in Madurai
MADURAI: The COVID-19 vaccination drive was launched in Tamil Nadu by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai on Saturday.
The Chief Minister who flagged off the jallikattu at Alanganallur was at the GRH on Saturday morning, along with Deputy Chief Minister O Paneerselvam, Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar, Revenue Minister RB Udhayakumar, Cooperation Minister Sellur K Raju, Forests Minister Dindigul Srinivasan, Theni MP P Ravindhranath, Principal Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan and Collector T Anbalagan.
The first shot of the Covishield vaccine was administered to Dr K Senthil, who is the state president of the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association (TNGDA). Following him, the National President of Indian Medical Association (IMA) Dr A Jayalal, Dean of GRH Dr J Sangumani and state president of IMA Dr Ramakrishnan were innoculated.
Government and private doctors, sanitary workers at GRH, 108 ambulance drivers and private hospital nurses were also vaccinated at the GRH.
The Chief Minister, who later addressed journalists at the hospital, stated that after conducting a dry run in 226 healthcare facilities across the state, the vaccination drive has been launched and will be held at 166 sites in Tamil Nadu. The state has 5,56,500 doses of Covishield and Covaxin vaccines in stock, he added.
Palaniswami stated that with the available vaccine doses, the state intends to inoculate 2.5 lakh healthcare workers initially, administering two doses of the vaccine to each of them, with a gap of 28 days between the doses.
Responding to a query if he would receive the COVID vaccine shot, the CM said that he would certainly take it but going by the protocol, healthcare workers would be vaccinated first.
Commenting on the fear relating to the vaccine, he said, "Dr. Senthil received the first shot, setting an example to the public. Initial apprehension among the public will be there. However, the fear will fade away gradually."
In Madurai district, there are five vaccination session sites including the GRH. While it was planned to administer the vaccine to only 25 beneficiaries at the GRH during the launch, many more healthcare workers who were registered in the CO-WIN portal volunteered to receive the first dose of the vaccine shot. As of 2 pm, 97 healthcare workers received the first dose of the vaccine at the GRH.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Dr K Senthil said that he, with a sense of responsibility, volunteered to receive the first shot of the vaccine amidst speculation over its efficacy to dispel the fear and confusion among the medical community and public.