Covid-19: India vaccinates 224,301 people; 447 show adverse reaction

India has vaccinated 224,301, in two days of its massive Covid-19 vaccination programme so far with the number being much higher than many other countries such as the USA, the UK and France, the Indian health ministry said tonight.

A total of 447 "adverse events" have been reported during two days of the vaccination drive and out of these, three required hospitalisation, the ministry said in an update, our New Delhi correspondent reports.

An adverse event is any unexpected medical occurrence which follows immunization which may not be related to the vaccine or vaccination process, it said.

Of the three hospitalisation cases, two were discharged in New Delhi and another is under observation in a hospital in Rishikesh in Uttarakhand state.

Most of the adverse events reported so far are minor like fever, headache and nausea, the ministry said.

India is using two vaccines -- Oxford AstraZeneca's Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute of India and Covaxin by Bharat Biotech -- for the vaccination campaign.

The second day of the massive countrywide vaccination programme today was also conducted successfully with a total of 17,072 people being inoculated, as per the provisional reports put out by the health ministry.

The Indian government has advised the states to plan vaccination sessions four days a week to minimise disruption of the routine health services.