COVID vaccine drive begins in Mizoram, health worker gets first shot

 A health worker was first person to get COVID-19 vaccine in Mizoram on Saturday as rastern state joined rest of country in launching vaccination programme, officials said.

Lalthlamuani, a gre-IV worker at Aizawl Civil Hospital, was first person to get vaccine in state, y said.

Among recipients were 10 senior doctors, including Lalhmuchhuaka, superintendent of Aizawl Civil Hospital.Total 314 people received vaccine on first day though 500 people were supposed to get it, officials said.

turut was less as beneficiaries recieved SMS alert, informing m about vaccination programme, late, an official said.

main programme to launch vaccination drive was held at Aizawl Civil Hospital. Health Minister R Lalthangliana and Health Secretary H Lalengmawia were present.

"It was a significant day in history of t only India but also Mizoram," Lalthangliana said.

Maintaining that vaccine is medically safe, he urged beneficiaries to receive complete doses without any apprehension.

health minister claimed that Mizoram is one of best performing states t only in India but entire world in tackling pandemic.

"Cutting across party lines, organisations, groups and departments, people worked toger to fight COVID-19, which me Mizoram least-affected state in country with only nine fatalities so far," Lalthangliana said.

He said that re was such occasion or thing or than COVID-19 that united people of state.A total of 18,500 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield vaccine were brought to Aizawl by a air from Pune on Thursday.

Apart from Aizawl Civil Hospital, first rollout of vaccine happened at Zoram Medical College (ZMC), Sub-District Hospital at Kulikawn, and Urban Public Health Centre at ITI Veng, all of which are in Aizawl, besides civil hospital in Lunglei town in sourn part of state. vaccination drive will be held in all districts across state from next week and about 8,000 healthcare workers are to be vaccinated in first phase, said Dr Eric Zomawia, director of National Health Mission (NHM) in Mizoram.

Date collection for frontline workers such as defence personnel, paramilitary forces and police, among ors, is being undertaken by Home Department, he said.

State immunization officer Dr. Lalzawmi told PTI that side effect or or untoward incident was reported during drive.

Mizoram on Saturday reported four new COVID-19 cases, taking state's tally to 4,314.

re are 80 active cases, while 4,225 people have recovered.

(IM CREDITS: AP)