Pondy CM urges Ministers, politicians to vaccinate to build public trust

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said that Covid vaccine would be administered free for everyone. In order to instil confidence among the public, Ministers, politicians and other prominent personalities should come forward, he added.

Puducherry: Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy announced that Covid vaccine would be provided to everyone for free and the vaccination drive would be held in three phases. The government would bear the complete expenditure, he told reporters here.

CM said he has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the vaccine vials for Mahe and Yanam be distributed from neighbouring Kozhikode in Kerala (for Mahe) and Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh (for Yanam).

Narayanasamy said he had requested Prime Minister during a video conference with Chief Ministers on Monday, that political leaders, Ministers and other prominent personalities should be brought during the first phase of inoculation as it would set an example and instil confidence among people in the vaccines.

In the first round, 14,000 health workers would be inoculated. In the second phase, field staff engaged in carrying out Covid control programme would be vaccinated and it would also cover those in the police, revenue and local administration departments.

In the third phase, those above 50 and also those with co-morbidities including diabetes, hypertension and cancer would be vaccinated.