Indian nursing student arrested for administering coronavirus vaccine to more than 30 pupils with same syringe

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) - A nursing student who used a single syringe to administer the coronavirus vaccine to more than 30 high school students in central India has been arrested, police said Friday.

Police said Jitendra Ahirwar, who was trained to carry out a vaccination program by a local health department was arrested earlier this week for vaccinating students by using a single syringe in the Sagar district in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

"We have arrested the man. He had inoculated the vaccine by using a single syringe," Tarun Nayak, a top police officer in the district told Anadolu Agency. "The students who were vaccinated are safe."

Officials said the incident happened Wednesday during a mega vaccination drive at a high school.

Ahirwar, in a video that was circulated on social media, said he was not to be blamed and was only given one syringe to perform the vaccination.

Sagar district's Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Devendra Goswami told Anadolu Agency that the district vaccination officer has also been suspended and a further probe is underway.

A single-use syringe is used for vaccination and medication to prevent the spread of blood-borne diseases, according to health guidelines.