COVID-19: Over 20 crore vaccine doses administered in 130 days

New Delhi, May 26: In a significant landmark, the cumulative Covid vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 20 crore, the Union health ministry has said.

In the age group of 18-44 years, the ministry said, 9,42,796 people received their first vaccine dose on Tuesday, and cumulatively, 1,28,74,546 have received vaccine doses across the country since the start of the phase-3 of the vaccination drive. Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have administered to more than 10 lakh beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group their first dose of Covid vaccine, it said.

The country has administered 20,04,94,991 vaccine doses so far, as per the 7 pm provisional report, the ministry said. The total of 20,04,94,991 includes 97,94,835 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken their first dose and 67,28,443 HCWs who have taken their second dose, and 1,51,62,077 frontline workers (FLWs) who have received their first dose, 83,77,270 FLWs who have taken their second dose.

There are 1,28,74,546 people in the 18-44 years age group who have received their first dose. Besides them, 6,20,47,952 and 1,00,24,157 beneficiaries in the 45-60 years category have been administered their first and second doses respectively, while 5,71,19,900 and 1,83,65,811 beneficiaries above 60 years have taken their first and second doses respectively, the ministry said.

The ministry said that vaccination is an integral pillar of the comprehensive strategy for containment and management of the Covid pandemic, along with test, track, treat and Covid appropriate behaviour. The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from Covid continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, it said.