Second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive in India: Updates from states

The second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive commenced today, 1st March in Bihar. The first person to receive a dose of the vaccination at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Science (IGIMS) in Patna was the Chief Minister of Bihar Nitesh Kumar.

NCP Sharad Pawar and his family, comprising of his wife and daughter, too received the first dose of the vaccine at a civic hospital in Mumbai, Maharashtra, according to a senior health official. Pawar who was the former Union Minister was given the ‘Covishield’ vaccine which is being manufactured by the Pune based,Serum Institute of India along with University of Oxford and AstraZeneca. “Pawar (80) took the first shot of the vaccine along with his wife Pratibha Pawar and daughter Supriya Sule,” Dr Tatyaro Lahane, Director of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), said to reporters.

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In Bengaluru, a 97-year old man was the first person to receive a vaccine from the second phase of the vaccination drive. Karnataka began administering doses to the general public as well in the second phase. Senior citizens wearing face masks queued up at private Manipal Hospitals in Bengaluru to receive the vaccine shot. Some of the beneficiaries were in wheelchairs. “Ramaswami Parthasarathy, 97-year-old, was the first to get vaccinated,” Manipal Hospitals said in a statement.

In Delhi, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The Rajasthan governor Kalraj Mishra got the first coronavirus vaccine dose.

The vaccination facilities opened up in the state of Goa as well at 37 locations.

Using the Co-WIN 2.0 portal, people above the age of 60 and those above 45 with co-morbidities can gear up to receive the vaccination in the second phase.