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Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has virtually launched the nation-wide covid-19 vaccination drive today. It is billed as the world’s largest vaccination program, covering the country, the drive aims to first inoculate millions of its healthcare and frontline workers and reach an estimated 3 crore people by the end of its first phase.
The Prime Minister addressed the nation today on January 16, as he launched the pan-India inoculation drive. Here are some of the highlights from his speech:
- “Start of vaccination does not mean people should stop following the Covid protocols of wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. We must take another vow – Dawai bhi, Kadaai bhi”.
- “Today when we take a look at the last year, we realise that we have learnt a lot as a person, a family and as a nation”.
- “Such a vaccination drive at such a massive scale was never conducted in history. There are over 100 countries having less than 3 crore population & India is administering vaccination to 3 crore people in first phase only. In second phase, we’ve to take this number to 30 crores”.
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- “In the fight against Corona, we’ve set an example for the world at many steps. When countries left their citizens stuck in China amidst this pandemic, on their own, India stepped up & evacuated not only Indians but also people of other nations under Vande Bharat mission”.
- “I request you not to make the mistake of taking off the mask and not maintaining social distancing after getting the first dose because immunity develops after the second dose”.
- “I want to remind people of the country that two doses of the Corona vaccine are very important. Experts have said that there should be a gap of one month between both vaccinations”.
- “Normally, it takes many years to make a vaccine but in such a short span of time, not one, but two ‘Made in India’ vaccines are ready. Meanwhile, the work on other vaccines is progressing at a fast pace”.
- “This disease kept people away from their families. The mothers cried for their children & had to stay away. People could not meet their elderly admitted at hospitals. We could not bid adieu to those with proper rituals who died due to corona”.
- Speaking about the hesitancy among a majority of the population about the safety of the coronavirus vaccine, PM Modi assured that scientists have given their nod to the two Indian vaccines after being sure of their effects. The Prime Minister urged citizens to not pay attention to rumors and propaganda.
Also read: Global Vaccine Feat: Vaccine shortage hits US; India to supply vaccine doses to world
