Hindustan Times | ‘Prevention better than cure’: Aviation minister Puri gets Covid-19 vaccine shot

Mar 03,2021

Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri and his wife Lakshmi were administered their first shots of the vaccine against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) on Wednesday, the third day of the second phase of India’s vaccination drive against the pandemic.

“Prevention is better than cure. Lakshmi and I became a part of the world’s #LargestVaccinationDrive. Got vaccinated at Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital in Kaushambi,” Puri tweeted, sharing photos of the first vaccine dose being administered to him and his wife. In the photos, the minister and his wife can be seen flashing a ‘V’ sign as the vaccine is administered to them.

India’s immunisation drive is the largest globally and, in its second phase, citizens above the age of 60, and those between 45-59 years old with comorbidities, are eligible for a shot. Most of India’s politicians are above the age of 60 and have thus taken the vaccine in the ongoing second phase. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, home minister Amit Shah, external affairs minister S Jaishankar were among those who were inoculated on Monday, day 1 of phase 2, while defence minister Rajnath Singh, law minister Ravishankar Prasad were among those who were vaccinated on Tuesday, the second day.

India launched its vaccination drive against coronavirus on January 16, with healthcare and frontline workers eligible in the first phase. Earlier in the month, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) announced approval for two vaccines: Oxford University-AstraZeneca’s Covishield, which is being manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), and Bharat Biotech International Limited’s Covaxin.

Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin is India’s first, and thus far only, home-made shot against Covid-19.