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India's 66% adult population given 1st dose of Covid-19 vaccine: Govt
Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan told a media briefing that the landmark was achieved due to “tremendous work by some states.”
India's two-thirds of the adult population has received at least one dose of vaccine against coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the government announced the major milestone on Thursday. Over 23% of the adult population have received both doses of the required two-dose regimen Covid vaccine, it added.
Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan told a media briefing that the landmark was achieved due to “tremendous work by some states.”
Lakshadweep, Chandigarh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Sikkim have administered at least one dose of Covid-19 shot to its entire adult population. Bhushan said that Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Kerala, Ladakh and Uttarakhand have first dose vaccination coverage of more than 90%.
The official said that though India reported over 31,000 fresh infections in the last 24 hours, the absolute numbers have witnessed a decline. According to the health ministry, the weekly case positivity has declined from 21.48% between April 29-May 5 to 2.16% between September 16-22, with the country reporting less than 3% weekly positivity rate for the 12th consecutive week.
The government data suggests that 99% of India's health workers have been given at least one dose of the Covid vaccine and 84% of them have been fully vaccinated. All frontline workers have received the first Covid vaccine shot and more than 80% have received both doses, according to the health ministry.
Bhushan said that 62.73% of the new Covid-19 cases over the last week were recorded in Kerala.
“We may be witnessing a decline, but we need to continue to follow Covid appropriate behaviour,” he added.
The health secretary has also directed states and Union Territories to make special arrangements and provide assistance for vaccination of differently-abled persons near to home vaccination centres.
