In a bid to allay fears, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, after getting the first dose, said there is no need for anyone to have any fear of confusion about the Covid-19 vaccine.
"I have just been vaccinated and I am standing right in front of you. So, it is my humble appeal to all my citizens, who are eligible for vaccination, to go get it without any doubt in their minds.’’
He scoffed rumours relating to adverse after-effects of the vaccine and reassured the people that there was no need to fear or to be in any confusion about it.
Thackeray got the first dose on a day when as on date so far 23,54,261 were administered vaccines at 2,425 vaccination centres across the state.
At present, as per the central government guidelines, medical staff, frontline workers as designated by the government, people above 60 years of age, and those aged between 45 and 59 with co-morbidities are eligible to get the vaccine shots.
A state health department officer told Free Press Journal, ‘’The government wants to speed up the vaccination and add more centres. The private hospitals have already been involved in the vaccination process.’’ He urged the eligible people to come forward and take vaccines.
He admitted in some places it is found that some non-eligible people are queuing up for vaccination or showing some fake medical certificates about comorbidities. ‘’The local authorities have been asked to be more vigilant,’’ he said.
