Etela Rajender takes Covid jab in Huzurabad, Karimnagar

The second phase of Covid-19 vaccination drive for priority age groups in Telangana commenced on Monday with the Health Department inoculating 4,558 individuals above 60 years and those aged between 45 and 59 with comorbid conditions at 93 identified Covid Vaccination Centres (CVCs) in government and private hospitals.

At government hospitals, 2,005 individuals out of the targeted 2,647 were inoculated while at private hospitals, 2,553 individuals received the vaccine out of the targeted 4,112 individuals.

Overall, including healthcare workers, frontline workers, senior citizens and individuals with comorbidities, about 3,00,399 individuals received the first dose of Covid vaccine in Telangana.

With the COWIN website (cowin.gov.in) going live at around 9 am on Monday, the registrations from eligible individuals on the first day were initially sedate. However, by afternoon, a large number of eligible individuals registered and booked vacant slots, senior health officials said.

Health Minister



Eatala Rajender was amongst the first to get inoculated at the Area Hospital in Huzurabad, Karimnagar, in the presence of District Collector K Shashanka and Director of Medical Education Dr K Ramesh Reddy.

“I urge all the eligible individuals to make use of this opportunity. Getting vaccinated is the only way out of this pandemic and this is the right time for more susceptible population of senior citizens and individuals with comorbid conditions to get inoculated,” he said.

At a few government hospitals in Hyderabad including Gandhi Hospital, the authorities reported glitches while processing the vacant slots that were reserved for eligible individuals. Later, as systems stabilised, the pace of processing and registrations picked up. Several eligible individuals, in vain also tried to register through COWIN mobile application. 

On-site registrations were also taken up on Monday after 3 pm at a few hospitals in Hyderabad and in the districts, officials said.