Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi urges people to get inoculated for COVID, cites his mother's example

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday once again urged people to get vaccinated. The PM cited himself and his mother as examples this time to get people to keep aside any COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Addressing the issue of hesitancy among people in his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat', PM Modi underlined that both he and his nonagenarian mother Heeraben Modi were fully vaccinated against the virus.

PM Modi says both he and his mother are now vaccinated

Speaking to the nation on his monthly radio programme, PM Modi informed the public that his mother was now vaccinated against the virus. Putting himself and his mother as an example, PM Modi urged people to trust science and avoid any hesitancy regarding the same. He said that the hesitancy over vaccination can prove to be 'dangerous'.

"I have myself been vaccinated with both doses. And my mother is close to a hundred years of age... she too has taken both doses. At times, some people develop fever but it is very minor, just for a few hours. Not getting vaccinated can prove dangerous," the Prime Minister said. PM Modi pointed out that vaccine hesitancy, which is based on rumours, must be addressed. He also said that India achieved the feat of inoculating million people in a single day.

Following the revelation, the PM also urged the people to follow all COVID-19 protocols during festivals. "During festivals and gaiety, do remember that corona is not yet gone. You do not have to forget COVID-19 related protocols," PM Narendra Modi said. The Prime Minister’s request to people to avoid hesitancy and get vaccinated comes at a time when various states are complaining of having a vaccine shortage. States including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal had earlier said that the state was facing a shortage in allotment of vaccine doses.

COVID situation in India

As of Sunday, India reported 39,742 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the active caseload of the country to 4,08,212. The daily death toll stood at 535 taking the total to 4,20,551. Meanwhile, 39,972 patients recovered from the Coronavirus infection adding to the total recoveries of the country at 3,05,43,138. According to the Union Health Ministry, the present recovery rate stands at 97.36%.

IMAGE: PTI