Although healthcare workers and frontline workers were the first groups prioritized when COVID-19 vaccination drive started in January, over seven months later, around one in five healthcare workers and over a quarter of frontline workers still await the second jab, suggest data.

Coverage levels vary across states, with Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Delhi reporting the lowest coverage. Across the country, a little over 1.03 crore healthcare workers have received the first vaccine dose, while less than 84 lakh have been administered the second shot. About 1.83 crore frontline workers have received their first jab, while only 1.32 crore have been administered the second one.

Nearly all states have reported more than 95% coverage for the first vaccine dose in both the groups, except for Delhi, Punjab and Karnataka. In Tamil Nadu, only 60% of healthcare workers and 40% of frontline workers have been administered the second shot… (ET Healthworld – TNN, September 2, 2021)