Since 2nd February 2021, as the immunization programme was initiated, India has vaccinated approximately 42% of registered frontline workers with the first dose of COVID-19 shots with nine states and has achieved an over 60% coverage.

The healthcare workers who have completed four weeks from the time they had received the first dose of vaccines, almost 62% have received the second shot of COVID-19 till Tuesday, according to the official data. India’s vaccination programme began on 16th January 2021.

Till Tuesday evening, almost 1.2 crore vaccine doses were administered through more than 2.5 lakh sessions and 64.7 lakh healthcare and more than 41.1 lakh frontline workers had received their first shots. Also, approximately 13.2 lakh healthcare workers received their second dose of the vaccine.

The 10 states and Union territories who have performed better are Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Telangana and Tripura, who have vaccinated more than 75% of eligible healthcare workers with the second dose of the vaccine.

Nine states: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, have immunized more than 60% of its frontline workers with the first dose of the vaccine.

The Centre has expressed its concern over Puducherry and Punjab who have vaccinated less than 40% of registered healthcare workers with the first dose of vaccine. The health ministry has written to all the states about the surge in cases and a higher positivity rate to accelerate vaccination of healthcare and frontline workers in certain districts as they should get involved in containment, surveillance and COVID-19 management.

Rajesh Bhushan, Health secretary stated that 12 states and UTs, which includes Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Odisha have administered the first dose of the vaccine to more than 75% of the registered healthcare workers. Eleven states and UTs that include Delhi, Karnataka, Telangana, Punjab and Chandigarh have immunized the first dose of vaccine to below 60% of registered healthcare workers.

Source: ET Healthworld