Delhi: January 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the pan India roll out of COVID-19 vaccination drive through video conferencing on Saturday. This is the World’s largest vaccination drive which is covering almost all parts of the country.
PM paid compliments to the Scientists who were associated with the development of vaccines and said, ‘Usually it takes years to prepare a vaccine, but here, in such a short time, not one but two made-in-India vaccine were launched.’
Speaking on the largest vaccination drive by India, Modi said, “in the first round itself, 3 crore people, which is more than population of at least 100 countries of the world, are being vaccinated. He said that this needs to be taken up to 30 crores in the second round when elderly and people with serious co-morbidity will be vaccinated. He said that there are only three countries- India, USA and China, who have the population of more than 30 crore’
Prime Minister also asked the people not to give heed to rumours and conspiracy theories as Indian vaccine scientists, medical system, Indian process and Institutional mechanism in this regard is trusted globally and this trust is earned with a consistent track record.
On the occasion, PM congratulated the country for a united and brave fight against corona. He termed the Indian response to corona as one of self-confidence and self-reliance.
Recalling the initial days of the crisis, the Prime Minister noted that India showed alertness and took right decisions at the right moments. Two weeks before the first case, which was detected on 30th January 2020, India had formed High-Level Committee. India had started proper surveillance exactly one year ago from today. On 17th January 2020, India issued its first advisory and India was among the first nations to start screening of passengers at the airports.
The Prime Minister congratulated the countrymen to pass the challenge of discipline and patience during the Janata Curfew. He pointed out that the exercise prepared the country psychologically for the lockdown. Morale of the country was kept high with the campaigns like taali-thali and lighting of diya, the Prime Minister added.
