ISRO top officials get first shot of Covid vaccine

Top officials and former top officials of the Indian Space Research Organisation including chief Dr K. Sivan received the first shot of the coronavirus vaccine today.

Bengaluru:The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief Dr K. Sivan, Scientific Secretary, Dr Umamaheshwaran, Former Chairman, Dr A S Kiran Kumar, and Dr K Radha Krishnan received the first shot of the coronavirus vaccine at Aster CMI Hospital in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi and appealed to all those who are eligible to get inoculated.

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16, 2021, and the vaccination of the Frontline Workers (FLWs) started on February 2.

The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 for those who are over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.

The Karnataka health department has shortlisted 18 private and 5 government hospitals across Bengaluru for administering anti-Covid vaccines to senior citizens aged above 60 from Monday.

Vaccination will be done in government hospitals on four days - Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday a week, while it will be given on all working days in private hospitals.

Vaccination will be done in government hospitals on four days - Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday a week, while it will be given on all working days in private hospitals.

"The vaccine will also be given at all taluk and district-level hospitals and 2 private hospitals in the remaining 30 districts across the southern state," an official of the state health department said.

As many as 18,327 new COVID-19 cases and 108 deaths were reported in India in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry informed on Saturday. The country's overall COVID-19 cases tally has reached 1,11,92,088, including 1,80,304 active cases while the death toll has mounted to 1,57,656.

According to the health ministry, a total of 1,94,97,704 people have been vaccinated against coronavirus so far.

(With inputs from Agencies)