Concern over low vax coverage among FLWs

With Bihar revising its figures and putting the total number of fatalities caused by Covid-19 at

9,429, India reported its highest single-day spike of

6,148 deaths, pushing the toll to 3,59,676.

This is even as daily infections have been steadily showing a downward trend — with 94,052 fresh Covid infections reported in a day — less than one lakh for the third straight day.

India, earlier, registered the highest fatalities due to Covid-19 on May 21 with

4,529 deaths, which crossed both the US and Brazil's record deaths in

24 hours. It surpassed the US’ 4,468 deaths reported on January 12, 2021 and

4,211 in Brazil on April 6,

2021.

The total number of Covid cases in India till now stand at 2,91,83,121 out of which 2,76,55,493 people have recuperated till date, the Union data

Thursday.

Active cases have reduced to 11,67,952 comprising 4 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate has improved to 94.77 per cent, it said.

A net decline of 63,463 cases has been recorded in the total number of Covid19 cases in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at

8 am showed.

The Central government on Thursday expressed concern over low Covid vaccination coverage among healthcare and frontline workers and asked all states and Union Territories to focus on second dose coverage among this most vulnerable and crucial section. The Centre advised them to sharpen their focus and prepare effective plans, keeping them as the priority.

In the meeting, chaired by Union health secretary according to health ministry’s updated on

Rajesh Bhushan and called to review the progress of vaccination, it was highlighted that while the national average for the first dose administration among healthcare workers (HCWs) is 82 per cent, for the second dose it is only

56 per cent.

Further, the coverage in

18 states and Union territories, including Punjab, Maharashtra, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Assam is below the national average in this aspect.

For frontline workers (FLWs), the national average of first-dose coverage is 85 per cent but for the second dose it is only 47 per cent.

Nineteen states and Union territories, including Bihar, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Telangana, Karnataka and Punjab have reported a seconddose coverage of frontline workers below the national average.