Gangtok, April 11 (PTI): Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang along with his wife Krishna Kumari Rai on Sunday received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, following which he appealed to those eligible for the immunisation drive to get inoculated.
The chief minister and his wife were administered ''Covishield'' vaccine at STNM Hospital near here, an official said.
Rural Development Minister Sonam Lama also received the vaccine jab, he said.
Speaking to the reporters after getting the vaccine shot, the chief minister urged all the people aged 45 years and above to participate in the ''Tika Utsav'', a vaccination drive, starting from Sunday.
The special inoculation programme will end on April 14.
Tamang also appealed to people to follow COVID protocols and maintain social distancing in public places to help the government contain the spread of the disease.
Sikkim''s COVID-19 tally had on Saturday gone up to 6,351 after 22 more people tested positive for the infection.
Altogether, 5,982 patients in the state have recovered from the disease and the death toll due to COVID-19 stood at 136 in the state.
The government has ordered the closure of all educational institutions from April 12 to 20 to ensure that all eligible teaching and non-teach staffers receive vaccine shots, Education Department Additional Chief Secretary G P Upadhyaya said in a circular.
