Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal takes the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal at Tirath Ram Shah Hospital in Delhi. (Credits: ANI)

New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal was administered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Tirath Ram Shah Hospital on Thursday (March 4).

Earlier in the day, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also took his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Delhi government-run LNJP hospital. 52-year-old Kejriwal has been receiving treatment for diabetes for the last 10 years, hence he is eligible for inoculation under the ongoing phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive. 

In Delhi, the drive spans 192 health facilities, including 136 private hospitals. The vaccines will be administered free of cost at government hospitals and health centers, while up to ₹ 250 per dose will be charged at private facilities. There are around 43 lakh people in the specified priority category for this phase in Delhi.

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 specific co-morbid conditions.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has already been vaccinated against COVID-19. 

As per the Health Ministry, a total of 1,66,16,048 vaccine doses have been given to the beneficiaries in the country against COVID-19 till today.

Meanwhile, as many as 17,407 new COVID-19 cases and 89 deaths were reported from India in the last 24 hours.