Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan along with his wifeNutan Goel received their first Covid vaccine doses on Tuesday in the DelhiHeart and Lung Institute.
Vardhan and Goel received Bharat Biotech's Covaxin andpaid Rs 250 each for the doses.
After receiving the vaccine he appealed that those whocan afford the cost of vaccination must go to their nearest private facility toget vaccinated.
He also spoke of vaccine appropriate behaviour wherepeople must adhere to getting vaccinated and help defeat the pandemic.
"After Covid appropriate behaviour, we need toaffirm to vaccine appropriate behaviour. We all should come forward and helpthe society from allaying the menace of Covid-19," he said.
"Vaccine would not just save you from the disease butalso your closed ones," Vardhan added.
Vardhan also said that the percentage of post-vaccinationeffects is just 0.00004 of the total vaccination and one should not be afraidof the minor ones that come depending upon age.
Meanwhile, he also thanked those who got in the queue ofregistration on the first day of phase three Covid vaccination. "Theresponse was overwhelming and it shows our resolve to defeat the pandemic. Iappeal every eligible beneficiary to come forward for the vaccination," headded.
Vaccines are being provided free of charge at thegovernment health facilities and on a payment basis in the private healthfacilities. All private hospitals can charge Rs 150 for vaccines and Rs 100 forservice charges fixed by the Central government.
Around 10,000 hospitals empanelled under the AyushmanBharat-PMJAY and 687 hospitals under CGHS can be used by states as CovidVaccination Centres (CVCs).
The phase three of Covid vaccination covering 27 crore ofpopulation aged above 60 and those above 45 with comorbidities started fromMonday. The previous two phases were started with vaccination of around threecrore of healthcare and frontline workers in India.