The COVID-19 vaccine campaign in India officially began on Saturday and is being touted as the world’s largest coronavirus vaccination campaign. According to media reports, vaccine shots will be given to 300 million people which is about the same number of people residing in the United States of America currently.

As of now, over 17,000 people have been vaccinated against the coronavirus in the first phase of India’s vaccination campaign. On January 17, around 17.072 people were inoculated against the virus. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has said that the total number of people in India who have received the vaccine is 2,24,301.

The news of the India COVID-19 vaccine drive was highly praised by Bollywood celebrities with actor Amitabh Bachchan comparing it to the polio vaccination drive.

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“It was a proud moment when we made India polio free; it shall be just as proud a moment when we make India COVID-19 free #LargestVaccineDrive @MoHFW_India @UNICEFIndia #largestVaccinationdrive JAI HIND,” Bachchan tweeted.

“Bravo India! Congratulations to Indian authorities, medical & health teams for starting off the massive Covid vaccination drive. Forever grateful to our frontline heroes who have been risking their lives this past year to save others,” wrote Priyanka Chopra quote-tweeting a tweet by UNICEF India.

Reacting to a video of AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria getting the shot in the first phase of the India COVID-19 vaccine drive, actress Kangana Ranaut responded: “Wonderful!! Can’t wait.”

“Thank you very much to the scientists and doctors of India. Thank you to India. Thank you to the Government of India and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Anything can happen. Jai Hind,” wrote Anupam Kher.

Actor Amitabh Bachchan was successfully treated for the novel coronavirus and has revealed how he spent time in the hospital.

Sharing his routine, he wrote in Hindi, “Yahan kuch logon ke sath unke vicharon pe uttar diye, kuch swayam soch vichaar kiya, kuch purane cricket match dekhe, kuch samay vishraam kiya, ek documentary dekhi, naam na bataoonga, dawaayon ka sevan kiya, mobile mein kitne gunn chhupe hain, unka gyan prapt kiya, pranaam kiya (I replied to people here (on Twitter) reverting to their thoughts, did some thinking myself. I watched few old cricket matches, I rested for some time. I watched a documentary but I won’t reveal its name. I had some medicines and then spent some time knowing more about the mobile phone and finally, I did a pranaam (Indian salutation) too).”

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