Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday tackled the vaccine hesitancy by taking the first dose Covid-19 jab at the Odisha Assembly dispensary even as the the government ordered off-line registration of the beneficiaries during the second phase inoculation drive, beginning today.
Patnaik was administered the home grown Covaxin developed by Bharat Botech and Indian Council of Medical Reasearch (ICMR).
After receiving the jab, the CM appealed to all elligible beneficiaries to use the opportunity in an effort to rid Odisha of the coronavirus. Patnaik also extended his gratitude to doctors, health scientists and health workers for their tireless efforts against the infectious diseases.
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"Happy to share that I took my first dose of #COVID19 vaccine today. Grateful to our scientists, health workers for their race against time to deliver the vaccines to people. Appeal to all eligible people to come forward and get vaccinated for a #CovidFreeOdisha," he stated in a tweet.
Meanwhile, the State government has introduced offline registration system for elderly persons and citizens with comorbidities following techincal glitches in the government website and Co-WIN app during online registration.
Additional chief secretary PK Mohapatra directed all Collectors and CDMOs to ensure smooth inoculation drive after beneficiaries alleged link failure of the government website/app and other technical issues during on-line registration at various vaccination sites in Bhubaneswar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took the jab at AIIMS in New Delhi, becoming the first beneficiary in the second phase immunisation excercise that commenced today across the country.