Panaji, Jan 16 (IANS): Instead of crowding a vaccination room, relatives and friends accompanying the persons who are being inoculated against Covid-19, should instead wait outside and greet them with a flower, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar said on Saturday.

Javadekar accompanied Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at the Goa Medical College near Panaji and greeted Ranganath, a sweeper in the health department, with a rose after he became the first person in the coastal state to be inoculated with the Covid-19 vaccine.

"Vaccination has started throughout the country. Visitors and relatives of the person being administered a vaccine should not go inside vaccination rooms. Instead, welcome the person who has been vaccinated with a flower, like the way we did. We have given a rose flower. We have to follow this protocol," Javadekar told the media.

The Union Minister is currently in Goa to inaugurate the 51st edition of the International Film Festival of India, which is due to begin later in the day.

As many as 700 persons, most of whom are the sanitation workers working in various hospitals across Goa, are scheduled to be inoculated in seven hospitals -- five government hospitals and two private health facilities -- across the state on Saturday.

"Vaccination has started at seven centres in Goa with the formal launch of the drive by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As many as 700 persons will be covered under this drive," Sawant said.

The Chief Minister also congratulated the scientists at the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and the Pune-based Serum Institute of India for developing the vaccines.

Earlier this week, Goa received a consignment of 2,350 vials containing 23,500 vaccination shots.

Nearly 19,000 Health department workers and Covid-19 warriors are expected to be covered in the first round of vaccination.