NEW DELHI:  Zee News reporter Pooja Makkar, who became the first Indian woman journalist to receive the indigenously developed coronavirus vaccine 'Covaxin', said on Tuesday that she is completely fine and normal.


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Speaking to Zee News in live interaction, Pooja Makkar said, “It has been 20 hours since I took the coronavirus vaccine – Covaxin. I am completely fine. I am completely normal.” Seeking to dispel rumours about the indigenously developed coronavirus vaccine, she urged people not to believe in those rumours. “It (vaccine) is completely safe. There is nothing to worry about it. I urge people to have faith in the government. This vaccine has been developed to keep the people of Indian safe,” Pooja Makkar said.


When asked about any physical or internal impact post-vaccination, she bravely stated in front of the camera that she is “not having any problem so far.” Pooja Makkar became the first female journalist to get coronavirus vaccine, Covaxin, in India on Monday. Covaxin is the indigenous vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech against COVID-19 in collaboration with ICMR.


Pooja Makkar got vaccinated at AIIMS, Delhi in the afternoon at 2 PM after the requisite tests. She remained under observation and shared her experience later. The Zee News reporter, who is a health reporter, has extensively reported about the COVID-19 pandemic and its fallout besides keeping a tab on the vaccines being developed in the country to tackle this deadly virus. 


Earlier talking about her experience, Pooja said that after 5.30 hours she has not felt any complication, adding that she decided to undergo the vaccination as "it was necessary to instil confidence among common people that the vaccine is fully safe."


Pooja has been provided a sheet to fulfill the points asked about her experience. She has also been provided with a helpline number to contact AIIMS in case she confronted any problem in the coming days.


After 28 days, she will get another shot of Covaxin as this is needed twice to remain safe against the deadly pandemic. Pooja remained on the frontline while covering all aspects related to the deadly virus. Notably, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has recently provided emergency use approval of the two coronavirus vaccines. 


Covaxin, the indigenous vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech against COVID-19 in collaboration with ICMR, is 200 percent safe, the company`s Chairman and Managing Director Dr Krishna Ella had said. He further said that it has shown less than 10 percent adverse reaction in trials so far. 


Dr Ella's remarks came a day after DGCI granted permission for the restricted emergency use of Covaxin. The indigenous vaccine has been developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - National Institute of Virology (NIV).


In a release earlier, Bharat Biotech had earlier said that Covaxin is a highly purified and inactivated two-dose SARS-CoV2 vaccine, manufactured in a vero cell manufacturing platform with an excellent safety track record of more than 300 million doses.


Earlier on Sunday, COVID-19 vaccines of Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech were granted permission for restricted use in an emergency situation by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).