Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja on Tuesday received the first inoculation of the Covid-19 vaccine at the government medical college hospital at Thiruvanadapuram as the second phase of the vaccination drive progressed in the State.

After taking the vaccine, she appealed to everyone to take part in the government programme. Besides Shailaja, her cabinet colleague, E Chandrasekharan also received the vaccine shot from the same hospital.

Shailaja, who won global recognition for her effective intervention in containing the pandemic in the state in the initial phase of the virus outbreak, had on Monday indicated that she would get vaccinated soon. The minister had also said she wanted to receive the vaccine much earlier to alleviate concerns among people.

Earlier, Minister of Ports and Museums, Kadannappally Ramachandran (76) got the shot from a hospital in his home district, Kannur. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his other cabinet colleagues, belonging to the prescribed age group targeted in the second phase, are also expected to take the vaccine in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Health Department sources here said the response of people towards the second phase vaccination drive was awesome and the number of those who turned up to take the shot in the state-run hospitals on the first day was much more than they expected.

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