 "Azim Premji")
Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, state Ministers B C Patil, K S Eshwarappa and Wipro founder chairman Azim Premji were among those who received the coronavirus vaccine in the state on day two of the inoculation drive for senior citizens and others on Tuesday.
A controversy broke out after Agriculture Minister Patil and his wife took the vaccine at their home with Health Minister K Sudhakar and others criticising him for doing so instead of visiting the designated hospital.
The health department said 10,046 people, including 6,313 senior citizens and people with comorbidities, were inoculated in the state on Tuesday, taking the total number of those vaccinated to 8.35 lakh since January 16 when the first phase started for health and frontline workers.
There were no instances of adverse event following immunisation (AEFI), it said in a release.
Governor Vala received the vaccine shot at the K C General Hospital at Malleswaram.
A press communique issued by the Raj Bhavan said Vala appealed to all eligible people to take the vaccine and make the country COVID-19 free.
He also lauded the doctors and scientists who worked in a short time to fight against the virus.
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwarappa took the vaccine at Shivamogga Ayurveda College and later posted a photograph on his Twitter handle.
Wipro founder Azim Premji took the shot at Narayana Health City, according the hospital sources.
Minister Patil tweeted, "Took the #COVID19Vaccine with my wife, at my Hirekerur house from the Govt. doctors today. While 'Made In India' vaccines are being immensely appreciated by many countries, some vested interest groups are spreading false information about the vaccines.
As several social media users questioned his decision to take the vaccine at home, Sudhakar said the protocol is to get it in the hospital.
Patil defended himself, saying he has not committed any crime and wanted to avoid trouble for the public.
"Have I done any theft or robbery? I have only taken the vaccine at home, which is not a crime," the Minister told reporters.
The Health Minister said he would issue a circular to the doctors not to administer the vaccine at home.
The vaccination drive for people aged above 60 and those over 45 with comorbidities started on Monday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking the vaccine at the AIIMS in Delhi and thousands of others getting it in various parts of the country.
Tech giant Infosys co-founders N R Narayanamurthy and Kris Gopalakrishnan and a 97-year old man were among those who got the vaccine shots here on the first day of the expanded coverage.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
