DMK Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader Dayanidhi Maran on Wednesday insisted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take a Covid vaccine shot in a bid to instill confidence regarding the vaccine safety among general public.
Speaking at the discussion revolving on Union Budget 2021-22 in Lok Sabha, the DMK leader added that besides the Prime Minister, President, Home Minister and Defence Minister should also take the vaccine shots in public as such a move will encourage people to come forward and trust the vaccination process.
“There is a discomfort, people are not truly trusting the vaccine… because of the efficacy,” he said while adding that the US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris set examples when the vaccine shots in public. Notably, the US leaders were administered the vaccine shots in public.
Further, adding to his list of beneficiaries who have been administered the vaccine in public interests, Dayanidhi Maran saidthat UK’s Prince Philip and the prime minister’s good friend and Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu have also taken the vaccine shots.
“I think our prime minister likes the American model… President of India, prime minister, home minister and defence minister should go (take vaccine shots) in public,” he noted.
India started its nationwide drive against covid-19 on January 16 with two approved vaccines – Covaxin and Covishield. In the first phase, the country has inoculated health care and frontline workers. As planned, in the second phase, the country will inoculate people aged above 50 and those below 50 with comorbidities.
It was earlier reported that the Prime Minister will be administered the vaccine in the second phase. However, an official announcement regarding the same is still awaited.
