'Please do not...': PM Modi's message amid Covid vaccine launch in India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched the nationwide vaccination drive for the novel coronavirus and urged people to positively get the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

Emphasising to follow Covid protocols, PM Modi said the start of vaccination does not mean people should stop wearing masks or violate maintaining social distancing.

Billed as the world's largest vaccination programme, covering the entire length and breadth of the country, the drive aims to first inoculate millions of its healthcare and frontline workers and reach an estimated 3 crore people by the end of its first phase.

A total of 3,006 session sites across all states and Union Territories were virtually connected during the launch.

Around 100 beneficiaries will be vaccinated at each session site on the inaugural day, the union health ministry has said.

In the first phase government and private sector health care workers, including Integrated Child Development Services workers, will receive the vaccine.