A nurse was so engrossed talking to her colleagues she absent-mindedly jabbed a COVID vaccine patient's arm with an empty syringe.

Azhar Hussan, 23, had gone to a vaccination camp near Chhapra in eastern India on June 21 expecting to receive his first dose of coronavirus vaccine and asked a friend to film the moment on his phone.

When Hussan reviewed the footage, he realised the mistake the chatty nurse had made.

The clip clearly shows her tear off the wrapper of a disposable syringe and jab it directly into Hussan's arm without first filling it with the vaccine.

After seeing the video, local authorities have suspended the healthcare worker.

Azhar said he had been getting headaches since and was still yet to receive a the vaccine.

A nurse was so engrossed talking to her colleagues she absent mindedly gave an empty Covid vaccine shot on June 21.

Azhar Hussan, 23, had gone to a vaccination camp near Chhapra in eastern India. A nurse, who was lost in conversation with her colleagues, tore open the plastic cover of a disposable syringe and injected him without filling it with the vaccine.

Azhar had given his phone to a friend to videotape the momentous moment. When he played back the video later he realised he had been given an “empty shot.”

Additional district magistrate Gagan said: “The nurse, Chanda Kumari, was busy talking to others. She has been suspended and served with a showcause notice. The youth is well but is being monitored.”

Azhar said he had been getting headaches since then and was yet to get another injection with a real vaccine this time.