Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced that his mother Heeraben has been given the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The Prime Minister also urged people to help and motivate eligible people to take the vaccine.

The Prime Minister did not elaborate details on which vaccine 99-year-old Heera Ben had been administered.

The PM’s mother has received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine under the second phase of the vaccination drive which was expanded on March 1 to include senior citizens (aged 60 and above) and those above the age of 45 with specified co-morbidities.

Earlier, at the beginning of the month, PM Modi kickstarted the next phase of Covid-19 vaccination drive in the country by taking the first dose of indigenously-developed Covaxin vaccine, manufactured by Hyderabad-based firm Bharat Biotech.

India is administering two Covid-19 vaccines starting January 16, 2021 – Covaxin and Covishield, which has been developed by the UK-based University of Oxford and pharma major AstraZeneca. Covishield is being manufactured in the country by the Serum Institute of India.

As per the latest figures, so far 2.52 crore Covid-19 jabs have been administered in the country.

Of the 2,52,89,693 vaccine doses administered, 71,70,519 healthcare and 70,31,147 frontline workers were given the first dose, while 39,77,407 healthcare and 5,82,118 frontline workers the second dose, according to a provisional report published on Wednesday.

Besides, 9,29,359 people aged 45 years and above with specific comorbidities and 55,99,143 senior citizens have been administered the first dose of vaccine.