Bengaluru's J Kameshwari oldest woman in India to receive COVID-19 vaccine

A 103-year-old woman named J Kameshwari received her first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Apollo Hospital, Bannerghatta Road in Bengaluru, making her the oldest woman in India to get inoculated against the virus.

Apollo Hospital Bengaluru shared a picture of Kameshwari getting inoculated, tweeting, "103 years old Shree J Kameshwari receives the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Apollo Hospitals Bannerghatta Road. We wish her all good health."

She was accompanied by her 77-year-old son, who also got vaccinated at Apollo Hospital. Neither Kameshwari nor her son reported any side effects after getting vaccinated.

J Kameshwari is not the only one in her 100s to get the vaccine. Independent India's first voter 103 year-old Shyam Saran Negi also received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Kalpa in Kinnaur district. He did not face any side effects after getting the jab and appealed to the people of Kinnaur to come foreward and receive the vaccine when their turn comes.

Mahabir Prasad Maheshwari, 103, was also administered the coronavirus vaccine at a private hospital in Noida. He was accompanied by 7 senior citizens, including his eldest son Sudarshan Dayal (81).

According to the Union Health Ministry, a total of 2,40,37,644 COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered as of March 10, 2021. These include 71,13,801 healthcare workers (first dose) and 38,51,808 healthcare workers (second dose), 69,02,006 frontline workers (first dose) and 4,44,199 frontline workers (second dose), 49,25,543 beneficiaries over 60 years of age and 8,00,287 beneficiaries in the 45-59 age bracket with comorbidities.

A total of 10,28,911 doses were administered till 7 pm on March 10. Of these, 7,98,354 beneficiaries received the first dose, while 2,30,557 healthcare and frontline workers got the second dose of the vaccine.

The Centre is focusing on ramping up the COVID-19 vaccination drive across states as the second phase of COVID-19 immunisation began on March 1. It focuses on immunisation of all those healthcare professionals who missed getting vaccinated in the previous phase, frontline workers (armed forces personnel, police personnel), people above 60 years of age and those in the 45-59 age bracket with comorbidities.

With agency inputs; by Mehak Agarwal

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