E-Paper
Day 100: How is India's Covid-19 vaccination drive going?
The cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 140,802,794 as per the 8 pm provisional report on Saturday.
Amid surge in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the country, India on Sunday marks 100 days since the start of its vaccination drive which began on January 16 this year. In just 99 days, India has become the fastest country to administer 14 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses, according to the Union ministry of health and family welfare.
The cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 140,802,794 as per the 8 pm provisional report on Saturday. These include 9,289,621 Healthcare Workers (HCWs) who have taken the 1st dose and 5,994,401 HCWs who have taken the 2nd dose, 11,942,233 Frontline Workers (FLWs) (1st dose), 6,277,797 FLWs (2nd dose), 47,641,992 for over 45 years old to 60 years old (1st dose), 2,322,480 for over 45 years old to 60 years old (2nd dose), 49,632,245 for above 60 years (1st dose) and 7,702,025 for above 60 years (2nd dose).
HCWs | FLWs | ||
1st Dose | 2nd Dose | 1st Dose | 2nd Dose |
92,89,621 | 59,94,401 | 1,19,42,233 | 62,77,797 |
Age group 45-60 years | Above 60 years | ||
1st Dose | 2nd Dose | 1st Dose | 2nd Dose |
4,76,41,992 | 23,22,480 | 4,96,32,245 | 77,02,025 |
Read more: ‘Unless world is vaccinated, variants will grow’: Dr Drew Weissman
India’s vaccination programme so far
In the phase 1 of the Covid-19 immunisation programme which was launched on January 16 this year, all health and frontline workers were eligible to take the shot. In phase 1 of the vaccination drive, immunisation was initiated in two parts on March 1 and on April 1. All people above the age of 60 years and those over 45 years with comorbidities were allowed to take the vaccine in this phase.
Vaccination programme from May 1
With the aim to control the second wave of Covid-19 in the country, India will expand immunisation to include its entire adult population, i.e, all citizens above the age of 18 years under the phase 3 of the vaccination strategy from May 1. With this decision, India has become one of the first countries in the world to allow all adults to seek a vaccine. However, people under the age of 45 will only be able to receive vaccine doses after private sales begin or after the respective state governments procure stocks for distribution. Additionally, manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccines will also be free to supply 50 per cent doses to the states as well as in the open market.
