Announcements in railway stations, planes, ships, metros to mark 1 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses, says Mandaviya

Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that India is expected to cross the one-billion mark in the number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered by October 18 or 19 and to mark the moment, announcements would be made on airplanes, ships, metros and at railway stations.

A billion (100 crore) Covid-19 vaccine doses would be administered under the country’s immunisation drive against the disease sooner this month and Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya has unveiled the government’s plans to mark the momentous occasion.

“After 100 crore doses is achieved, we will go in mission mode to ensure that those who have taken their first dose take their second dose too,” Mandaviya said. (PTI )

Mandaviya on Thursday said that India is expected to cross the massive one-billion mark in the number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered by October 18 or 19 and to mark the moment, announcements would be made on airplanes, ships, metros and at railway stations. The minister made the announcement while launching a coffee table book on Covid-19 warriors, news agency PTI reported.

Also, domestic airline carrier Spicejet will wrap its planes with posters regarding one billion vaccinations and with images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and healthcare workers as part of the celebrations to mark the country’s achievement, Mandaviya also said.

Briefing on plans after achieving a billion doses, the minister said that the focus would be shifted to administering second doses. “After 100 crore doses is achieved, we will go in mission mode to ensure that those who have taken their first dose take their second dose too to ensure they are protected against Covid-19,” PTI quoted him as saying.

So far, 970 million (97 crore) vaccine doses have been administered to beneficiaries above 18 years of age in the country, the Union ministry of health and family welfare said on Thursday. Earlier on Thursday evening, Mandaviya said that the vaccination drive has completed delivering 970-million doses. “The nation is rapidly approaching the 100 crore vaccination mark! 97 crore #COVID19 vaccine doses administered to date. Keep it up India, let us fight corona,” he tweeted.

Also, 73% of the population have received at least one dose and 30% fully immunised. Mandaviya’s announcement that the focus would be shifted towards the second dose vaccinations assume significance considering the sizeable gap between the number of people having received one or both doses.

As of 7pm on the day, 2,762,523 doses of the vaccine were administered, pushing the cumulative doses to 971,120,405 the ministry said in a statement. The country also logged 18,987 new Covid-19 cases and 246 fatalities on the day.

(With PTI inputs)