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In latest milestone, India crosses 4 crore vaccination mark: Health ministry
As of March 18 evening, 7,635,188 healthcare workers were administered with the first dose of Covid-19. The corresponding number for healthcare workers administered with the second dose is 4,715,173.
India crossed a significant milestone in its fight against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) as the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the four crore mark, the Union health ministry said on Friday. "India crosses milestone of 4 crore Covid-19 vaccinations," the ministry tweeted.
As of March 18 evening, 7,635,188 healthcare workers were administered with the first dose of Covid-19. The corresponding number for healthcare workers administered with the second dose is 4,715,173. As many as 2,779,998 beneficiaries aged more than 45 years with specific comorbidities received the first dose along with 141,77,766 beneficiaries aged more than 60 years.
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On January 16, India rolled out its vaccination drive in the country and currently, it is the second country after the United States to vaccinate the highest number of people. Only healthcare workers and frontline workers were allowed to be immunised in the first phase of the vaccination drive. In the second phase, which began on March 1, the government permitted those above 60 years and 45+ with commodities to be included in the drive.
Earlier in the day, speaking in Parliament, Union health minister Harsh Vardhan said that the vaccination drive will be extended in the coming days. "Every vaccine doesn't require universal immunisation and all these priority groups whom we are vaccinating today like healthcare staff first and then senior citizens and people aged between 45 and 59 years, it will be extended in the coming days – all these are based on experts' opinion," the health minister said.
He also urged people to not have any misconceptions about the two Indian vaccines that are being administered in the country. "There are detailed pre-clinical and clinical trials, which get thoroughly studied by the experts before a vaccine gets the nod, the minister said, adding that "There should not be any misconception regarding the Covid-19 vaccines and the people should avail the facilities given by the government and get themselves vaccinated," he also said.
India is currently using two vaccines for the inoculation drive: Covishield, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin.
