COVID Vaccine Precautionary Dose campaign which began on January 10, crossed a figure of 50 lakh jabs, as the healthcare staff, frontline workers, and people aged 60 and up have received the COVID-19 vaccination, according to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
According to provisional statistics, the cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 158.04 crore as of 7 a.m., with approximately 80 lakh doses administered in less than 24 hours.
“Another Day, Another Milestone Over 50 lakh healthcare & frontline workers and citizens aged 60 years or above have received precaution Dose, since 10th January. I request all those who are eligible to get their precaution dose at the earliest,” Mandaviya tweeted.
From January 10, India began administering a preventive dosage of COVID-19 vaccine to healthcare staff, frontline workers, including election personnel, and people aged 60 and over with comorbidities, amid an increase in coronavirus infections caused by the Omicron strain of the virus.
However, the countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16, 2021, with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started on February 2.
COVID Vaccine Precautionary Dose gathers momentum as India reaches new milestone
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 more than 45 years from April 1, 2021.
The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to be vaccinated from May 1.
COVID Vaccine for children below 14 years, decision awaited
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination has commenced from January 3 this year for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years.
Meanwhile, The Union Health Ministry has not yet taken any decision on COVID-19 vaccination for children in the age bracket of 12-14 years, official sources told ANI.
As India has inoculated over 3.5 crore first doses of the Covaxin vaccine in the age group of 15-18 years, it is expected that the first phase of the vaccination drive for this age group will be completed by the end of this month.
