New Delhi [India], March 01 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took the first dose of Covaxin, India’s homegrown coronavirus vaccine developed by biotechnology firm Bharat Biotech and Indian Council of Medical Research, addressing the hesitancy over the COVID-19 vaccine.
PM Modi took the first dose of the vaccine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi.
“Took my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at AIIMS,” PM Modi tweeted with his picture of receiving the jab.
“Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in quick time to strengthen the global fight against COVID-19,” the Prime Minister added.
Bharat Biotech’s coronavirus vaccine Covaxin had run into a controversy after it got regulatory approval for emergency use without phase-3 trial results.
However, in January, the company’s Chairman and Managing Director Dr Krishna Ella clarified that the vaccine is safe and Bharat Biotech conducted trials in over 12 countries besides India.
In the picture that PM Modi tweeted, he is seen wearing a gamcha of Assam, which is symbolic of blessings of women from the eastern state. He has been seen wearing it on many occasions.
PM Modi was administered Bharat BioTech’s Covaxin by Sister P Niveda from Puducherry. The second nurse was from Kerala.
The Covid-19 vaccines- Covaxin and Covishield, will be made available to the general public from today.
The PM went to AIIMS without any route on the roads, thus choosing early morning to avoid inconvenience to public.
The first phase of the nationwide vaccination drive against Covid-19 had begun on January 16. The second dose of vaccine had begun from February 13.(ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 01 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi took his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi on Monday.
“Took my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at AIIMS. Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in quick time to strengthen the global fight against COVID-19,” tweeted PM Modi.
Appealing people to take the vaccine, PM tweeted, “I appeal to all those who are eligible to take the vaccine. Together, let us make India COVID-19 free!”
PM Modi flagged-off the first phase of the pan-India roll out of the COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16, 2021.(ANI)

Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], March 1 (ANI): Vaccination drive will be conducted at 10 locations in the Indore district of Madhya Pradesh on Monday, out of which three are government hospitals or colleges, Dr Amit Malakar, COVID-19 Nodal Officer told ANI on Sunday.
“COVID vaccination drive will begin on March 1 for people above 60 years and people above 45 years with comorbidities. They need to present a certificate of their comorbid condition signed by a registered doctor of Medical Council,” the doctor added.
Meanwhile, the central government is extending the vaccination drive to all citizens above 60 years and those within the age bracket of 45 to 59 years with specified co-morbidities from March 1. It also upgraded its digital platform Co-WIN.2.0 so that the beneficiaries can now self-register themselves.
The government has supplied two COVID-19 vaccines, Covishield and Covaxin, free of cost to the States/UTs to vaccinate Health Care Workers (HCWs) and Front Line Workers (FLWs) and will also be able to cover the next priority group i.e. 60 years plus age group and the age group of 45 to 59 years suffering from Pre-Specified Co-Morbidities.
The States have been requested to operationalise the linkages between the COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) (both government and private empanelled facilities) with the nearest cold chain points for ensuring smooth vaccine delivery to COVID vaccination centres (CVCs). (ANI)

Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], March 1 (ANI): Two persons arrested in Indore district of Madhya Pradesh after a video of them thrashing a man allegedly for asking their borrowed money back went viral.
“We have arrested two of the five accused as per the video. They demanded money from the victim’s friend and father by sharing the video,” said police on Sunday.
Detailing it further, the police said: “The victim had borrowed some money from the three accused. When he failed to return the amount, all the three accused along with their two fellows had beaten him on February 23 and made a video. After that they have forward it to their friends and father.”
A case has been registered and further investigation is underway. (ANI)

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 1 (ANI): One person arrested for allegedly saxually harassing an actress in Maharashtra’s Mumbai, police said on Sunday.
According to the police, “A person has been arrested on allegations of sexual exploitation with the actress. A case has registered under relevant Sections of Indian Panel Court at the Goregaon police station.”
Further investigation is underway.
Earlier on February 27, three persons have been arrested on the basis of a complaint by a few girls who had approached police alleging that the accused touched them inappropriately at public places while shooting videos.
The girls said the accused pranked them to shoot the videos, which they later uploaded on Facebook and YouTube.
“Mumbai police arrested the three after cyber cell received a complaint that they made videos of girls while touching them inappropriately at public places and uploaded them on social media. Indecent language has been used in the videos. They earned around Rs 2 crore from these videos,” Mumbai Police said earlier. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 1 (ANI): Union Minister and President of Archery Association of India, Arjun Munda on Sunday felicitated the Indian Para archery team for their performance at the seventh Fazza World Ranking Tournament which was held in Dubai.
“I am glad to see the performance of our archers in Dubai. They have inspired us with their performance in Olympics and showed their will-power,” said the Union Minister while talking to ANI.
Munda further said: “When a player achieves something it is a matter of pride for the nation. Their achievement will motivate other players to take part in games.”

Harvinder Singh, a para archer hailing from Haryana said: “It was a very challenging experience due to the COVID-19 pandemic because we were not able to practice in that period. Fazza tournament was our first championship after the pandemic. Earlier in October 2019, We played the Asian championship in Thailand.”
While Rakesh Kumar another para archer who met with an accident in 2009 and became wheelchair-ridden won a gold medal in the individual category in the tournament said: “I met with an accident in 2009 and from there, my life changed. It was very tough for me to live a normal life. I was on bed for at least six months but after three or four years, when I recovered I realised that now I can’t move on my legs. So, I had to do something and my family’s financial condition was also not good,” Rakesh said. (ANI)