Pune: As many as 438 in Pune (city) were vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine on the first day of the world’s biggest drive on Saturday. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had planned vaccination of 800 beneficiaries on Saturday, with 100 in each of the eight centres across the city.

The drive was conducted at four government hospitals and as many private hospitals. The drive was inaugurated in the city at the civic-run Kamala Nehru hospital by directing the first dose of Covishield to 74-year-old Dr Vinod Shah. Along with the Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol, PMC Commissioner Vikram Kumar, Additional Municipal Commissioner Rubal Agarwal and others were present on the day one of the drive. As many as 55,000 frontline workers from the city have registered for the drive out of which 22,000 are selected.

Pune district civil surgeon Dr Ashok Nandapurkar on Saturday said, “It is not possible to reach 100 per cent of the beneficiaries on the first day itself. We also have the experience of polio vaccination. Most of the staff were at work. The reason why they remain absent will not be immediately clear. But we will review it. The vaccination drive was satisfactory.”

Vaccination Centres- Attendance (Out of 100)

· Jayabai Nanasaheb Carpenter, Kothrud - 47

· Kamala Nehru Hospital - 34

· Rajiv Gandhi Hospital, Yerawada - 47

· BJ Medical College, Sassoon - 62

· Dinanath Mangeshkar Hospital - 64

· Bharti Hospital and Research Centre - 54

· Noble Hospital - 73

· Ruby Hall Clinic – 57

According to the administration, none of the beneficiaries, including doctors and other staff experienced any side effects to the COVID vaccine. The administration has said that if beneficiaries witness any complications, they can call the hospital.

Beneficiaries had to sign a screening and consent form before taking the jab, which reads that a compensation for serious adverse event will be paid by sponsor (BBIL) in case if the SAE is proven to be casually related to the vaccine.