Tripura begins Covid vaccination drive, 1,399 frontline workers get shots

Mridul Das, a 30-year-old

doctor, was the first person to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Tripura on Saturday as the state joined the rest of the country in rolling out the vaccination programme.

The vaccination programme in the state began at 17 sites across eight districts, officials said.

Total 1,399 health workers received the Covishield vaccine on the first day.

Tripura has received 56,500 doses of the vaccine.

After receiving the first shot, Dr Das, serving at a government hospital in Mohanpur in the West Tripura district, told reporters that initially he was tensed but eventually everything went on fine.

He said that the government has taken the initiative of the vaccination programme after many examinations, so there is no reason to doubt.

"Scientists did several trials and experiments. If we don't trust the vaccine that means we don't trust our scientists. We need to trust them," he added.

Officials said that there were no reports of anyone suffering from adverse effects of the vaccine in the state.