New Delhi, Aug 24: The Vice President, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu today urged the medical fraternity in general and the Indian Medical Association, in particular, to take up special awareness campaigns to educate the people about the safety and importance of getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
Inaugurating ‘Vaccinate India Programme’, an initiative of Sustainable Goals Coordination Center, Government of Karnataka in collaboration with Give India Foundation, the Vice President said, there appears to be hesitancy in some quarters to get vaccinated. It is absolutely essential to educate and create awareness among those who are still harboring doubts, he added.
Calling for turning COVID vaccination drive into a ‘Jan-Andolan’, Shri Naidu exhorted all people’s representatives to ensure that everyone is vaccinated in their constituencies. He also urged the media to educate people on the need to shed vaccine hesitancy. “False beliefs need to be dispelled by providing accurate information,” he stressed.
Observing that vaccination is the most effective shield against COVID-19, the Vice President said that it would help in preventing hospitalization and lessen the severity of the disease. “In other words, even if infected by the virus, the disease will be mild”, he added.
Noting that COVID recovery rate in the country has reached 97.6 percent, he cautioned “we are still not totally out of the woods and there is every need for each one of us to continue with all Covid-related protocols and precautions”.
Emphasising that the fight against Coronavirus cannot be won without people’s cooperation, Shri Naidu appealed to everyone to wear mask, wash hands frequently, observe safe distancing and lead a disciplined and healthy lifestyle. He asked the youngsters to avoid junk food and eat properly cooked traditional Indian food which is more suited to our bodily and climatic conditions.
