Days after getting vaccine, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij tests Covid positive

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 5

Days after getting a shot of Covid vaccine, Haryana Home and Health Minister Anil Vij on Saturday tested positive for corona virus.

Also read: Union Health Ministry says Covid-positive Anil Vij took only one dose of Covid vaccine 

Vij tweeted that he has tested positive for Corona and is admitted to Civil Hospital, Ambala Cantt.

I have been tested Corona positive. I am admitted in Civil Hospital Ambala Cantt. All those who have come in close contact to me are advised to get themselves tested for corona.

— ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) December 5, 2020

On November 20, Vij was given a shot of Bharat Biotech's vaccine Covaxine as a volunteer.

I Will be administered trial dose of Coronavirus vaccine #Covaxin a Bharat Biotech product Tomorrow at 11 am at Civil Hospital, Ambala Cantt under the expert supervision of a team of Doctors from PGI Rohtak and Health Department. I have volunteered to take the trial dose.

— ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) November 19, 2020

Only yesterday, a deputation of the JJP, the alliance partner of the BJP in Manohar Lal Khattar government, had met Vij demanding withdrawal of criminal cases registered against farmers. 

The deputation included Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala’s younger brother Digvijay Chautala and JJP’s state president Nishan Singh. 

Besides, Yog Guru Ram Dev had met Vij in his office in Chandigarh on December 1. 

Dr Dhruv Chaudhary, Nodal Officer of the State for Covid-19 and Head of Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit of the PGIMS, Rohtak who had been leading Covaxine trials, said it is yet not known whether Vij received a vaccine or placebo, as shots for volunteers are selected by computer randomly.  

Bharat Biotech meanwhile said that the Covaxin clinical trials are based on a 2-dose schedule, given 28 days apart. The vaccine efficacy will be determined 14 days post the 2nd dose. Covaxin has been designed to be efficacious when subjects receive both doses

Earlier, Chief Minister M L Khattar, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, State Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta and a couple of ministers in the BJP-JJP government has contracted the virus.

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