The day which we all have been waiting for since the past year has finally arrived. On January 16th, India will be undertaking the world’s biggest immunization program in its battle against covid. The vaccination drive will be launched at 10:30 am today after PM Modi addresses the nation via video conferencing. The first phase of the drive which is set to begin today is aimed at inoculating 3 crore healthcare and frontline workers.

On January 3rd DCGI had given emergency use approval to Serum Institute of India’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. Throughout the past week, 1.65 crore doses of Covishield and Covaxin have been shipped out to all states as a part of initiating the first phase. Today’s target is to vaccinate over 3 lakh health care workers and other essential workers. The Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has called the much-anticipated drive “probably the beginning of the end” of the pandemic.

Around 3000 sites across all states and UT’s have been identified for conducting the drive. An estimated number of 100 people will be vaccinated at each site. There will be a five-member team on each site that will be conducting the whole process from identifying the beneficiaries, inoculating to handling the crowds. As per the health ministry, the beneficiaries will not be given a choice between the two vaccines.

Further, all real-time data of the vaccination process including information regarding vaccine storage, administrators, and beneficiaries will be reflected on the Co-WIN app which will be launched by the government today. A 24×7 hotline – 1075, will also be available to take on the queries related to the vaccination drive.

Live Updates

07:50 (IST)

1,65,714 people were vaccinated today: Health Ministry

1,65,714 people were vaccinated today; No case of post-vaccination hospitalisation reported so far: Health Ministry

06:39 (IST)

Mizoram launched vaccination drive: A health care worker received the first shot of COVID19 vaccine at Aizawl

Lalmuanpuii, a health care worker received the first shot of the COVID19 vaccine at Aizawl Civil Hospital, earlier today

06:35 (IST)

Our scientists developed 2 indigenous vaccines with the support of our scientists, doctors, researchers, vaccine manufacturing industry & citizens of India: Dr Harsh Vardhan

To further speed this up, our scientists developed 2 indigenous vaccines with the support of our scientists, doctors, researchers, vaccine manufacturing industry & citizens of India who volunteered for clinical trials to make research of scientists successful: Dr Harsh Vardhan

05:45 (IST)

Assam CM initiates Covid-19 vaccination drive

Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal initiated the Covid-19 vaccination drive at Assam Medical College in Dibrugarh earlier today.

05:24 (IST)

'India has been successful in its fight against Covid': Union Home Minister

Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that it

05:16 (IST)

"Will export vaccines to other countries": Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that he believes more people will turn up to get inoculated after seeing today's results.
He further said that India will also be exporting the Covid-19 vaccine to other countries.

04:57 (IST)

"Supply vaccine for all, if needed state will bear the burden" : WB CM

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has requested the government to supply an adequate no. of vaccines for not only the frontline workers but also for all people of the state.

04:23 (IST)

Union health Minister to hold a review meeting on vaccination drive

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan will be holding a review meeting on the Covid-19 vaccination drive at 6pm today.

04:13 (IST)

Puducherry CM initiates the Covid-19 vaccination drive

Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy initiated the Covid-19 vaccination drive at Rajiv Gandhi Govt. Women and Child Hospital in Ellaipillaichavady earlier today.

04:09 (IST)

Goa CM observed the Covid-19 vaccination drive today

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar and Goa's Chief Minister Pramod Sawant witnessed the Covid-19 vaccination drive at Goa Medical Hospital today. "Vaccination is being conducted at 7 sites in the state", said CM.

04:04 (IST)

Jharkhand CM observes Covid-19 vaccination drive

Jharkhand's Chief Minister Hemant Soren observes the Covid-19 vaccination drive at Sadar Hospital in Ranchi. "48 vaccination centers available in the state," says CM.

03:56 (IST)

Tamil Nadu CM observes Covid-19 vaccination drive

Health workers in Tamil Nadu receive Covid-19 vaccine jabs in presence of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami at Chennai's Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.

03:51 (IST)

"Vaccines are safe": G Kishan Reddy, Minister of State for Home Affairs

G Kishan Reddy, Minister of State for Home Affairs, requests people in Hyderabad to not doubt the efficacy of vaccines manufactured in India. "Vaccines have been approved only after testing", he further says.

03:43 (IST)

Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh observes vaccination drive

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh visited Civil Hospital in Mohali today to observe the ongoing vaccination drive.

03:38 (IST)

"Vaccination would take place at 167 booths": Rajasthan CM

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot welcomes the vaccination drive. “Until everyone gets vaccinated, we need to follow covid protocols”, says Gehlot.

03:32 (IST)

Maharashtra CM inaugurates vaccination center in Mumbai

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated the vaccination center at BKC Jumbo COVID19 hospital in Mumbai today, subsequent to which he observed the vaccine administration.

03:27 (IST)

Congress MP Manish Tewari takes a jab at covid-19 vaccine

Congress MP Manish Tewari raises questions regarding the safety and efficacy of Covaxin. If the vaccine is safe, why hasn’t the government stepped forward to get themselves vaccinated ?, asks the MP.

03:20 (IST)

Vaccination drive underway in Karnataka

The Covid-19 vaccination drive is underway at Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Hubli. Today’s plan is to vaccinate 560 people.

03:16 (IST)

Uttarakhand CM witnesses Covid-19 vaccination drive

Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat interacts with beneficiaries while observing the Covid-19 vaccination drive at Doon Medical College in Dehradun.

03:14 (IST)

Vaccination drive begins at General Hospital in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh

The Covid-19 vaccination drive has begun at General Hospital in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.

03:10 (IST)

SII’s CEO Adar Poonawalla received a shot of Covishield

As the vaccination drive proceeds, SII’s CEO Adar Poonawalla received a shot of Covishield vaccine manufactured by his company.

03:08 (IST)

“Vaccines are safe”: AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria

AIIMS Director Dr. Randeep Guleria calls the vaccines safe and further requests people to have confidence in the researchers' scientists & regulatory authorities of the country.

03:05 (IST)

It is the beginning of the end of covid pandemic: AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria

AIIMS Director Dr. Randeep Guleria said that this will be the world's largest vaccination program and will be significant towards bringing an end to the covid pandemic.

02:57 (IST)

"This is a historic day": J&K Governor Manoj Sinha

J&K Governor Manoj Sinha said that they are working towards ensuring that the vaccination drive gets completed successfully in Jammu and Kashmir. He further insisted on continued compliance with covid protocols.

02:47 (IST)

‘Do not pay attention to rumours, vaccines are safe’: Delhi CM Kejriwal

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal observed the vaccine administration at LNJP hospital in Delhi. He further said that 81 vaccination centers are operating in Delhi to achieve the 8,100 target set by them.

02:36 (IST)

Bhutan's PM congratulates PM Modi for successful launch of vaccination drive

Bhutan's PM Lotay Tshering congratulated India and PM Modi for the landmark launch of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive.

02:18 (IST)

‘Do not fear vaccine’: Punjab CM

Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh says that there is no need to fear the vaccine when "scientists & doctors have said that the vaccine is safe".

02:10 (IST)

Vaccination drive underway in Jammu and Kashmir

Vaccination drive is underway in Jammu and Kashmir at Jammu Medical College & Hospital. "Vaccination drive has brought us hope", said a sanitation worker.

02:05 (IST)

UP CM Yogi Adityanath witnesses COVID-19 vaccine administration in Lucknow

U.P.'s Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath observes COVID-19 vaccine administration at Balrampur hospital in Lucknow. "102 health workers will be vaccinated today", he further says.

01:59 (IST)

Healthcare workers receive a letter of gratitude from WB CM

Subsequent to receiving the Covid-19 vaccine shot Healthcare workers receive a letter from West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, expressing gratitude toward them for their work.

01:45 (IST)

'Requested PM to make vaccines free for lower income groups' : Punjab CM

With the launch of first phase, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh said, "he is happy that the Covid-19 vaccination drive has begun". He further stated that he has written to PM Modi to request free vaccines for the lower-income groups.

01:30 (IST)

BJP workers burn effigy of coronavirus in Mumbai

BJP workers in Ghatkopar area of Maharashtra celebrate the first phase of vaccination drive by burning an effigy of coronavirus.

01:24 (IST)

"Biggest immunisation campaign against COVID" : Union Health Minister on India's vaccination drive

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan calls India's vaccination drive, "the biggest immunization campaign against COVID anywhere in the world." He further expresses that India is capable enough to handle it given the country's experiences in eradicating polio and smallpox.

01:18 (IST)

Former AIIMS Director, Dr. Ashok Mohapatra, gets vaccinated in Odisha

Former AIIMS Director, Dr. Ashok Mohapatra receives the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at SUM hospital in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

01:13 (IST)

Vaccination drive begins in Jammu and Kashmir

Vaccination drive has begun in Jammu and Kashmir. It is taking place at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar.

"I volunteered to get the first jab to encourage others", says the volunteer who got the first jab.

01:05 (IST)

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan displays a dose of Covaxin

As the first phase of vaccination drive begins across the country, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan shows a dose of COVAXIN developed by Bharat Biotech at AIIMS, Delhi.

12:57 (IST)

Vaccine will work as a 'sanjeevani' in fight against Covid: Union Health Minister

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan commends India on its fight against covid under the leadership of PM Modi. The vaccine will bring an end to covid, he further comments.

12:52 (IST)

"World is looking at India with hope" : PM Modi

PM Modi while addressing the nation on the occasion of the largest inoculation to ever take place, says that the world is looking at India with hope after the development of the Covid-19 vaccine. He further commits that India's vaccine & production capability will be used for human interest.

12:37 (IST)

"India has made every possible effort to save people of other countries": PM Modi

PM Modi praises India for being among the few countries who, despite hardships, have provided their medical assistance to over 150 countries around the world.

12:20 (IST)

AIIMS Director, Dr Randeep Guleria, receives vaccine shot

Amidst the ongoing vaccination drive, AIIMS Director Dr. Randeep Guleria received the Covid-19 vaccine jab at AIIMS, Delhi.

12:14 (IST)

First person vaccinated in Delhi

With the beginning of the large-scale vaccination drive, Manish Kumar, a sanitation worker becomes the first person to receive Covid-19 vaccine jab at AIIMS, Delhi in the presence of the Union Health Minister.

12:10 (IST)

First person vaccinated in Andhra Pradesh

With the beginning of the large-scale vaccination drive, Pushpa Kumari, a sanitation worker, becomes the first person to receive the covid-19 vaccination in Andhra Pradesh.

12:05 (IST)

Cheaper than foreign vaccines but equally good : PM Modi on Indian vaccines

While launching the vaccination drive, PM Modi comments that Indian vaccines are much cheaper than their foreign counterparts while being equally good.

11:57 (IST)

PM Modi quotes Telugu poet Gurajada Appa Rao

While launching the vaccination drive, PM Modi quotes Telugu poet Gurajada Appa Rao -'Give up selfishness & help your neighbour, country isn't a piece of land it is the people'.

11:50 (IST)

PM Modi gets emotional while talking about health care workers

While addressing the nation on the occasion of nationwide vaccination drive, PM Modi gets emotional when he talks about the hardships faced by the healthcare and frontline workers during this period of time.

11:44 (IST)

"Corona kept people away from their families" : PM Modi

PM Modi comments that corona devastated the lives of many people. "We could not bid adieu to those with proper rituals who died due to corona".

11:38 (IST)

'A lot learnt from last year' : PM Modi

On the occasion of the nationwide vaccination drive, PM Modi calls the past year a great learning phase.

11:28 (IST)

A month gap required between two doses: PM Modi

As the much-anticipated vaccination drive is about to begin, PM Modi reminds people that it is important to have a month gap between the administration of the first and the second vaccine dose.

11:23 (IST)

PM Modi calls it the world's biggest vaccination drive

With India ready to begin its vaccination drive, PM Modi comments that "such a vaccination drive at such a massive scale was never conducted in history". He further says that they will need to up the number to 30 crores in the second phase.

11:16 (IST)

Social distancing to be continued after first dose: PM Modi

PM Modi requests the nation to follow social distancing norms and keep the mask on in public despite getting the first dose of vaccine. "Immunity builds after the second dose" says PM.