Latest News: Vax safe with minor effects; COVID tally; US lawmaker warns of another siege

Vaccines safe with negligible side effects: NITI Aayog

After India on January 3 approved two COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use, NITI Aayog Member Dr VK Paul while addressing a press conference on Tuesday said that Covishield and Covaxin have been tested on thousands of people and the side-effects are negligible. The NITI Aayog Member further stated that the two approved Coronavirus vaccines "are safest of the vaccines". He also thanked the Indian Medical Association (IMA) for accepting and supporting the two vaccines being manufactured in the country. 

Read: 'Covishield, Covaxin Safe With Negligible Side-effects': NITI Aayog Ahead Of Vaccine Drive

India's COVID-19 tally

India reported 15,968 new COVID-19 cases, 17,817 discharges, and 202 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry. Vaccine rollout on January 16. The first consignment of Covaxin by Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech, arrives at Indira Gandhi International Airport. The first consignment of Covishield by Serum Institute of India arrived in Goa at 6:22 am today. The two boxes received were handed over to the State Health department, said Goa Airport Director Gagan Malik.

Read: Coronavirus LIVE Updates: States To Get 1.1 Cr COVISHIELD, 55 Lakh COVAXIN Doses By Jan 14

Hema Malini slams Oppn on Farm laws

Member of Parliament Hema Malini slammed the Opposition for misleading the farmers as they protested for close to 50 days against the three agricultural laws. The Bharatiya Janata Party leader asserted the government’s stand on the controversial laws, that there was no lapse. She also said that it was sad to see farmers protesting on the streets. 

Read: Hema Malini Slams Oppn On Farm Laws, Says Farmers Following 'someone Else's Instructions'

Cong slams Govt for not giving recipients option to choose

The Health Ministry hinted on Tuesday that for now, the COVID-19 vaccine recipients will not have the option to choose from the two vaccines recently approved for restricted emergency use in India. Reacting to this, Senior Congress leader Manish Tewari on Wednesday questioning the government said that by not allowing the recipient to pick a vaccine of his choice, "is NDA/BJP making Guinea pigs out fo Indians?"

Read: Vaccine Recipients Won't Be Able To Choose Between Covaxin & Covishield? Congress Hits Out

Congressman warns of another siege on Jan 20

A US Congress member has alerted that thousands of armed pro-Donald Trump supporters are plotting to surround the Capitol ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's swearing-in ceremony, just a week after the United States Capitol siege. Conor Lamb, a Democrat and a lawyer, told a news network that pro-Trump protestors were talking about 4,000 armed 'patriots' surrounding the Capitol and preventing any Democrat from going in.

Read: As Biden's Inauguration Nears, US Lawmaker Warns Pro-Trump Supporters 'plot' Capitol Seige