E-Paper
Over 79 million Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in India: Health ministry
The ministry said that eight states account for 60% of the cumulative vaccine doses given so far. Maharashtra, which is India’s worst-affected state, alone accounts for 9.72% of the total doses given in the country, it added.
India has so far administered 79 million doses of the vaccines against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), as the country is grappling with the second wave of the pandemic, the Union ministry of health and family welfare said on Monday. The numbers have gone up days after the government expanded its vaccination drive and allowed the inoculation of those above 45 years of age. India has recorded 12.5 million Covid-19 cases and 165,101 people have succumbed to the viral disease to date.
The health ministry said in a release 7,91,05,163 vaccine doses have been administered through 12,31,148 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7am. These include 90,09,353 healthcare workers, who were administered their first dose of the vaccine and 53,43,493 who were administered their second dose. It also said that 97,37,850 frontline workers administered the first dose and 41,33,961 of them were administered the second dose along with 4,99,31,635 of first doses and 9,48,871 of the second to those over 45 years of age.
As of day 79 of the vaccination drive till April 4, 16,38,464 vaccine doses were given. Out of which, 15,40,676 people were vaccinated across 21,508 sessions for the first dose and 97,788 received the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
The ministry said that eight states account for 60% of the cumulative vaccine doses given so far. Maharashtra, which is India’s worst-affected state, alone accounts for 9.72% of the total doses given in the country, it added.
Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan on April 3 directed all states and Union territories to immediately stop new registrations for Covid shots in the categories of healthcare and frontline workers. Bhushan said that ineligible beneficiaries are getting the Covid-19 vaccine. “Various inputs have been received from different sources that in some of the CVCs (Covid Vaccination Centres) some ineligible beneficiaries are being registered as healthcare workers and frontline workers and are getting vaccinated in complete violation of the prescribed guidelines,” he said in a letter.
The vaccination drive that started on January 16 was meant to first immunise 300 million people who belong to three categories-- healthcare workers, frontline workers and those at greater risk from coronavirus disease due to their age or existing medical conditions. The first to receive the shots were 10 million healthcare workers and the drive was opened up to 20 million front line workers from February 1 onwards. On March 1, the government allowed people above the age of 60 and those between the ages of 45 and 59 years with a combination of 20 specified comorbidities to take the jabs. On April 1, the government relaxed it further to allow anyone above the age of 45 to take the dose.
