Covid-19 vaccination drive: Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla gets inoculated

Poonawalla was vaccinated by Covishield, a Covid-19 vaccine made in India by the SII with the Oxford University.

Poonawalla tweeted, "I wish India & Sri Narendra Modi ji great success in launching the world’s largest Covid vaccination roll-out. It brings me great pride that Covishield is part of this historic effort & to endorse it’s safety & efficacy, I join our health workers in taking the vaccine myself."

Apart from Covishield, India's indigenous vaccine Covaxin, developed by Bharat Biotech, has also been given permission for an emergency use.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched the world's biggest Covid-19 vaccination drive in India, which is one of the worst Novel Coronavirus-hit countries.

Modi launched the drive virtually as almost three crore health workers will be prioritised from the drive in its first phase.

A total of 3,006 session sites across all states and union territories were connected for the launch.

Around 100 beneficiaries will be vaccinated at each session site on the inaugural day.

This vaccination programme is based on the principles of priority groups to be vaccinated and health care workers, both in government and private sectors including ICDS workers, will receive the vaccine during this phase.

The vaccination programme will use Co-WIN, an online digital platform developed by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which will facilitate real time information of vaccine stocks, storage temperature and individualized tracking of beneficiaries for Covid-19 vaccine.