Nationwide Vaccination Campaign Launched in India on January 16 (Archive)
New Delhi:
As the total number of doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in the country exceeded 10 million, the Union Ministry of Health said on Saturday that India is the fastest country to administer 100 million doses in 85 days.
The United States took 89 days to administer 10 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, while China took 102 days to do the same, he said.
The Prime Minister’s Office has also tweeted a graph showing India as the fastest country to achieve this vaccination milestone, and calls it “strengthening efforts to ensure a healthy and COVID-19-free India” “.
In terms of the number of daily doses administered globally, India continues to stay on top with an average of 38,93,288 doses administered per day, the ministry said earlier in the day. The cumulative number of doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in the country stands at 10,12,84,282 according to the provisional report at 19:30, he said.
Extending vaccine coverage to people over the age of 45 along with recent provisions for them to be vaccinated in their workplaces (governmental and private) form a series of proactive, collaborative, and coordinated steps taken by the center and state governments. . for the safety of people against coronavirus infectious disease, the ministry said.
“This, along with efficient clinical management, has so far ensured that India has the lowest mortality rate in the world (1.28%),” he stressed.
On India as the fastest nation to administer 100 million doses, the ministry said: “The achievement is also a testament to the‘ whole society ’approach, where individuals turned a deaf ear to rumors and the propaganda of the interests created, shunned hesitation strengthened the hand of the administration to curb the COVID-19 “.
Vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the country’s most vulnerable population groups against COVID-19 continues to be periodically reviewed and monitored at the highest level, he said.
“A broader comparison with other countries on its achievements on the 85th day reaffirms the fact that India has the highest daily vaccination rate,” the ministry stressed.
The United States administered 92.09 million doses in 85 days and China’s vaccination coverage was 61.42 million in 85 days. The UK administered 21.32 million doses in 85 days, he said.
Eight states (Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala) account for 60.62% of the total doses given so far in the country, according to the ministry.
The nationwide vaccination campaign unfolded on January 16 with the Inoculation of Health Workers (HCW) and the vaccination of front-line workers (FLW) began on February 2.
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination began on March 1 for people over 60 and for people 45 and older with specified co-morbid conditions.
India started vaccination for all people over 45 from April 1st.
The figure of 10.12 million reached in 15.17.260 sessions includes 90.03.060 HCW who have taken the first dose and 55.06.717 HCW who have taken the second dose, 99.39.321 FLW who have received the first dose and 47.28.966 FLW they have taken took the second dose, the ministry said.
In addition, in 3.01.14.957 and 6,377,668 beneficiaries in the category of over 45 to 59 years were given the first and second dose respectively, while 3,95.64,741 and 17,88,752 individuals of more than 60 years have taken first and second dose respectively.
“A total of 29,65,886 vaccine doses were administered until 8 pm on Saturday, the 85th day of the national collection of COVID-19. Of these, 26,31,119 beneficiaries were vaccinated for the first dose and 3,34767 beneficiaries received the second dose of “The vaccine according to the interim report,” the ministry said, adding that final reports would be completed by nightfall.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)