New Delhi:
As India launched the world’s largest vaccination drive against the coronavirus pandemic, showing the light at the end of a 10-month tunnel that upended millions of lives, here are some of the quotes from people who took the jab and politicians: — Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan: These vaccines are ‘sanjivani’ in our fight against this pandemic.
We have won the battles against polio and small pox. Now, we have reached the decisive phase of winning the war against coronavirus — Manish Kumar from Delhi: Many of them (staff) were scared. So, I went to my seniors and said I should be given the vaccine first. I wanted to prove to my colleagues that there is no need to be scared — Bipasha Seth from West Bengal: It’s a great day for humankind. I feel elated to get the first dose — Tamil Nadu Govt Doctors Association president K Senthil: We saw agony, pain and many deaths due to coronavirus. We have been waiting for the vaccine for the past 10 months and it arrived sooner than we expected. For me, this is both an opportunity and a luck to get the vaccine — Telangana health worker K Jayamma: I had no fear of taking the vaccine. I wanted to take the vaccine first to allay apprehensions if any about the vaccination.
— Kochi surgeon Jose Chacko Periyappuram: This vaccination will definitely help boost our immunity. This message should be conveyed to society — Gwalior sanitation worker Raghuvir Balmiki: Remove all kinds of illusions from your mind and trust Indian scientists. This vaccine is completely safe — Abdul Qayoom, security guard at Era Medical College in Uttar Pradesh: There was always fear in mind because of close proximity to coronavirus patients. But now I am feeling much safer — Delhi nurse Biji Tomy: It’s our moment of reckoning, I guess, which is very humbling — Delhi nursing staff Vinish Kumar: My blood pressure went down for a while. They put me under observation for one hour. Now I am feeling normal and everything is fine — Gujarat paediatrician Naveen Thacker: As you can see, I have not felt any adverse effect even an hour after getting inoculated…. This is the beginning of a final war — Farah Husain, an anaesthesia specialist and one of incharges of COVID ICU ward in Delhi hospital: Pride is quite natural, and tremendous happiness, after all the hardships and deaths we have seen last year — SMS Medical College principal Sudhir Bhandari in Jaipur: There’s a sense of happiness, excitement and well-being — Naveen Kumar from LNJP Hospital’s administration department in Delhi: We owe our lives to these doctors and nurses, they are the true corona warriors, and we salute them — J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to COVID warriors: When pre and post pandemic history will be written, your contribution will be written in golden words.
— West Bengal Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim: We were in a state of depression for the last one year. From today, we will again relive our lives.
— Tamil Nadu CM K Palaniswami: Everyone should for sure get vaccinated. You and I have to get vaccinated. Those from your and my family too should get the vaccinated — Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray: It is a revolutionary step we are taking today. I salute the corona warriors who selflessly treated the COVID-19 patients when there was no remedy available — Congress leader Manish Tewari: It’s all a bit puzzling India has no policy framework for authorising emergency use. Yet, two vaccines have been approved for restricted use in emergency situation. COVAXIN is another story — Approvals sans Due Process — SP leader Akhilesh Yadav: We have full faith in our doctors but not in the government; It’s good that coronavirus vaccine has come out, but only believe what the doctors say, not UP CM Yogi Adityanath — Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi leader Prakash Ambedkar: The prime minister and Maharashtra CM should take the COVID-19 vaccine first and clear all doubts in the minds of the people — Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla: It brings me great pride that Covishield is part of this historic effort and to endorse it’s safety and efficacy, I join our health workers in taking the vaccine myself — M K Sudarshan, chairperson of Karnataka government’s COVID-19 technical advisory committee: Benefit of vaccination clearly outweighs the risk of disease — NITI Aayog member V K Paul: I have taken Covaxin. Embrace the vaccine — Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja: The pandemic is not going to end after this vaccine. We still need to make sure that we follow the health protocol — Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat: The antibodies begin to form two weeks after the second dose, which is administered on the 28th day after the first. You must show patience and wait for at least one-and-a-half months. PTI
