India's COVID vaccination coverage exceeds 37 crore

NEW DELHI: India's cumulative COVID-19 vaccination coverage crossed 37 crore on Friday with 30,55,802 doses administered across the country in the last 24 hours. A total of 37,21,96,268 vaccine doses have been administered through 48,04,423 sessions, as per the provisional report of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) till 7 a.m. on Saturday.

In the ongoing massive vaccination coverage, 1,02,44,459 Healthcare Workers (HCWs) have so far administered first dose of the anti-COVID jabs and 73,84,439 of them have been provided second dose. A total of 1,76,51,159 Frontline Workers (FLWs) have received first dose of the vaccine and 98,42,138 have been administered the second dose.

The vaccination exercise, which is claimed to be world's largest drive, has so far covered 11,00,15,954 people aged between 18-44 who have got their first dose and 35,15,490 have received their second dose. In the drive, 9,29,29,982 people of the age group between 45-59 have got their first dose of vaccine and 2,27,96,218 have been administered the second dose.

This exercise has so far covered 6,99,01,188 people over 60 years of age having their first dose and 2,79,15,241 getting their second dose.

India's vaccination exercise began on January 16 this year. To accelerate the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country, the new phase of universalisation of the vaccination commenced from June 21 this year.

As per the Ministry data, more than 38.54 crore (38,54,01,150) vaccine doses have been provided to states and Union Territories (UTs) so far through all sources. Of this, the total consumption including wastages is 36,80,68,124 doses.

Amid vaccine crisis on government run health facilities with 'no slots available' indication showing on government's CoWIN App — a platform to made registration before approaching centres designated to vaccinate people — despite Centre's all efforts to vaccinate people as soon as possible, the Minister further claimed that more than 1.73 crore (1,73,33,026) balance and unutilized COVID vaccine doses are still available with the states and the UTs and private hospitals to be administered.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Central government has been supporting the states and the UTs by providing them COVID vaccines free of cost. In the new phase of the universalization of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the government is procuring and supplying (free of cost) 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to states and the UTs. (IANS)

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