Dalai Lama Receives First COVID Vaccine Shot In Himachal

Spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Saturday received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Dharamshala.

He received the dose at Zonal Hospital here at 7:10 am. He was kept under observation for about half an hour.

The 86-year-old was undergoing self-quarantine since January last year and he came out of his residence on Saturday after over a year.

The Central Tibetan Administration's (CTA) had requested the state and central government to make arrangements for the spiritual leader's vaccination nearly two months ago, Palden, the Health Secretary of the CTA told ANI on Wednesday.

There are currently 589 active COVID-19 cases in Himachal Pradesh, as per the union health ministry. As many as 57,428 recoveries and 997 deaths have been reported in the state so far.

The second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive to inoculate people above 60 years and those over 45 with comorbidities against the coronavirus commenced on March 1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi got himself vaccinated at the All India Institue of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi, on Monday.

Several prominent political leaders in the country, including Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, have already taken the first jab of the vaccine against coronavirus. (ANI)