Hyderabad: Telangana health minister Eatala Rajender on Monday received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Huzurabad area hospital in Karimnagar.
After taking the vaccine, Eatala Rajender tweeted: “Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in quick time to strengthen the global fight against COVID-19. I appeal to all those who are eligible, please take the vaccine.”
The second phase of COVID-19 vaccination drive in India has begun between the age group of 45-60 years will be administered for the vaccination in 236 private hospitals in the state.
The 236 hospitals are private, corporate and super-specialty hospitals in the list of Arogyasree Network Hospitals in Telangana.
The vaccine will be given free of cost at government centers.
In the second phase, anyone above the age of 60 and those above the age of 45-years-old with existing illnesses that make them more vulnerable to COVID-19 will be allowed to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Across the country, the shots will be given at 10,000 government and over 20,000 private vaccination centers. Around 27 crore people are expected to be covered in the second phase. Of this group around 10 crore are people over 60, the union government said earlier.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also received the first dose of COVAXIN, developed by Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech, at New Delhi’s all india institute of medical sciences.