Entire adult population in 9 states, UTs given 1st dose vaccine; national average at over 75 pc

• Thursday | 21st October, 2021

New Delhi, Oct 21 (PTI) More than 75 per cent of India"s adult population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, with nine states and union territories administering the first dose to all eligible people. More than 31 per cent of the country"s around 93 crore adults have been administered both the doses, according to Union Health Ministry officials. According to data from the Co-WIN portal, over 70 crore vaccine doses were administered as the first dose and over 29 crore as the second dose. So far, all adult people in nine states and union territories --  Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Dadra and Nagar Haveli  -- have received at least one dose of the vaccine. The five states which have administered the highest number of doses are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. In a tweet in Hindi, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated the country on achieving the feat of administering 100 crore doses, and said it was the result of the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he described as a visionary. "After 100 crore doses are administered, we will go in mission mode to ensure that those who have taken their first dose take their second dose too to ensure they are protected against COVID-19," Mandaviya had said earlier. More than 103.5 crore (1,03,53,51,045) COVID-19 vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs, the ministry said on Thursday. Over 10.85 crore balance and unutilised doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered, it stated. The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2. The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. The country launched vaccination for all people aged over 45 years from April 1. The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing all above 18 to be vaccinated from May 1. PTI PLB SMN SMN