New Delhi: As India gears up to launch world's largest immunisation drive, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday requested people to not pay heed to the rumours against the much-awaited vaccine.
"I want to appeal to people to not believe in any rumors. Our prime criteria in the vaccine trial is the safety and efficacy and nothing will be compromised," Vardhan told the reporters after reviewing the dry run at a government hospital here.
In Delhi, mock-drives are being conducted at three sites -- government-run Guru Teg Bahadur hospital in Shahdara, primary health centre in Daryaganj, and private Venkateshwara hospital in Dwarka.
The Union Minister reminded that "different kinds of rumours were also spread during polio immunisation, but people took the vaccine and now India is polio-free".
Notably, coronavirus vaccine is slated to be soon rolled out.
The Oxford-AstraZenaca vaccine has been recommended by the expert panel tasked with vetting Covid-19 vaccine proposals and has been forwarded to the Drug Controller General of India for approval.
"The Drug Controller General of India will soon give its recommendation on the applications," assured Vardhan.