COVID-19 vaccines safe, beneficiaries need not fear: Maharashtra health minister

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Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said COVID-19 vaccines - Covaxin and Covishield - are completely safe and people need not have any fear about getting inoculated. Speaking to reporters, he said the two vaccines have been approved by the drug control authority and cleared by scientists.

'These two vaccines are completely safe. It is wrong to make assumptions about their adverse effects,' Tope said, adding that the vaccines have been authorised for emergency use. He admitted that beneficiaries are confused about getting the vaccine and many of them are not turning up to get the jab as they are waiting to see the vaccine's reaction on others.

'We will counsel beneficiaries with proper information and educate them. They need not have any fear about getting inoculated,' Tope said. 'No severe problems have been witnessed so far in beneficiaries who have taken the vaccine in the state,' he said.

At least 52.68 per cent of the targeted beneficiaries were administered COVID-19 vaccine doses across 274 centres in the state, as the inoculation drive resumed after two days on Tuesday. The vaccination drive was suspended for two days due to technical glitches in the Co-WIN application, the IT platform developed by the Union government to implement and manage the inoculation process.

The vaccine application had faced some technical issued, the minister said, adding that a system upgradation is being done. The minister further said he will be sending video messages about the vaccines to healthcare workers who have registered for the drive.

'Don't go by the percentage. The vaccination drive will be held four days a week Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The numbers will rise,' Tope said. The minister said that the report on the Bhandara hospital fire will be submitted later in the day.

At least 10 infants were killed in the blaze that erupted at Bhandara district hospital on January 9.

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