India fastest to administer 130mn vaccine doses: Govt

NEW DELHI: India has become the fastest country to administer 130 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, taking just 95 days to do so, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

The US took 101 days to administer these many doses, while China 109 days, the ministry said. Cumulatively, 13,01,19,310 doses have been administered in India through 19,01,413 sessions, according to the provisional report till 7 am.

These include 92,01,728 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the first dose, and 58,17,262 HCWs who have got their second dose. These also include 1,15,62,535 frontline workers (FLWs) who have got their first dose, and 58,55,821 FLWs who have taken their second dose.

Also, 4,73,55,942 above-60 beneficiaries have been administered the first dose and 53,04,679 the second dose.In the 45-60 age category, 4,35,25,687 individuals have taken their first dose and 14,95,656 the second dose.

Eight states -- Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala – account for 59.25 per cent of the total doses given in the country so far, the ministry said.

It also said that 29,90,197 vaccine doses were given in the country on day-95 of the vaccination drive (April 20), which include 19,86,711 beneficiaries across 42,384 sessions for the first dose, and 10,03,486 for the second dose.

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated first. The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started from February 2.

The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for those over 60 years of age, and for people aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions. India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 from April 1.Meanwhile, the government on Monday decided to expand the vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to get vaccinated from May 1.