Covid-19 vaccination drive: 22% fully vaccinated, 65% receive first dose in India, says govt

“In a landmark achievement, India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 81 Crore landmark milestone (81,73,95,763) today,” the Union health ministry said.

Close to 65% eligible beneficiaries in India have received at least one dose of the vaccine while 22% of the people have received both doses against the Covid-19 disease, the Union ministry of health and family welfare said on Monday. Also, with over 8.5 million doses of the vaccine administered till 7pm on the day, the cumulative number of doses administered in the country crossed the 810-million mark, the ministry also said.

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that the country would resume the export of Covid-19 vaccines to other nations under the Vaccine Maitri initiative from October 2021.(Bloomberg | Representational image)

“In a landmark achievement, India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 81 Crore landmark milestone (81,73,95,763) today. More than 85.68 lakh (85,68,026) Vaccine Doses have been administered till 7 pm today,” a statement from the ministry read.

“Out of 81,73,95,763, 64.8% (60,88,10,164) eligible population received first dose of COVID-19 Vaccination and 22.2% (20,85,85,599) eligible population received second dose of COVID-19 Vaccination,” it added. The ministry also said that the daily vaccination count for the day is expected to increase after the final reports for the day would be compiled by midnight.

As many as 817,395,763 doses have been administered so far in the country and this includes 608,810,164 first doses and 208,585,599 second doses, according to the ministry’s data. In beneficiaries between 18 and 44 years, 330,759,938 first doses and 62,464,374 second doses have been administered so far, the data also showed.

Earlier in the day, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that the country would resume the export of Covid-19 vaccines to other nations under the Vaccine Maitri initiative from October 2021. “India will be resuming export of vaccines under Vaccine Maitri in order to fulfil the commitment of India towards COVAX, in line with our motto Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. The surplus supply of vaccines will be used to fulfil our commitment towards the world for the collective fight against Covid-19,” Mandaviya said. However, the minister also assured that vaccinating its own citizens remained the topmost priority of the government.

Previously on August 27, 31 and on September 6 the daily vaccinations in the country crossed the 10-million mark and on September 17, more than 25 million doses were administered on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.