Punjab CM kicks off process to inoculate 1.74 lakh people

Chandigarh, Jan 16 : Punjab joined the rest of the country in the historic roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine on Saturday with five healthcare workers getting the jab in the presence of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who virtually launched the process to inoculate 1.74 lakh people in the state in the first phase.
Sandeep Singh, Charan Kamal and Dimple Dhaliwal Srivastva, all doctors, computer operator Asha Yadav and Class IV employee Surjit Singh were administered the first dose of Covishield vaccine in the presence of the Chief Minister at the Civil Hospital in Mohali near here.
Amarinder Singh also gifted saplings to these five healthcare workers posted at the Civil Hospital as a token of appreciation.
Interacting with the media, the Chief Minister said that it was his desire to get vaccinated first, but in accordance with the directives of the government of India, only healthcare workers would be covered in the first phase.
“I would definitely get myself vaccinated in the next phase,” said Amarinder Singh.
The Chief Minister said the vaccine would be administered to the healthcare workers first, followed by the army and police personnel, in line with the guidelines of the government of India.