2.6 crore Indian adults have not taken even one Covid shot: Govt in Rajya Sabha

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, April 5

India is inching closer to full Covid-19 vaccine coverage of its adults with the government on Tuesday informing the Rajya Sabha that 84.4 per cent of the adult population had been fully jabbed as of March 30, with the numbers rising daily but as many as 2.6 crore eligible adults have so far not taken even a single shot of the Covid vaccine.

Minister of State for Health Bharati Pawar shared the above information in the session.

She said 97 per cent of all doses administered as of March 30 this year have been free of cost.

“As on 30th March 2022, a total of 79.28 crore (84.4%) beneficiaries aged 18 years and above have received both doses of Covid-19 vaccines and 167.14 crore doses (97% of total dose administered) have been administered free of charge to eligible beneficiaries aged 18 years and above under National Covid-19 vaccination programme. An estimated 2.6 crore (2.8 per cent) eligible beneficiaries above 18 years of age have not taken even a single dose of vaccine,” the minister said.

As on 30th March 2022, against the estimated population of about 7.40 crore beneficiaries aged 15-18 years, 5.70 crore (77 per cent) have received at least one dose, 3.77 crore (51 per cent) beneficiaries have received both doses of Covid-19 vaccines.

Further, against the estimated population of 4.7 crore beneficiaries aged 12-14 years, a total of 1.51 crore (32 per cent) have received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

The second dose for any of such beneficiaries has not become due, the government said in written replies.

The minister added that the booster shot policy would follow scientific advice.

“As per the recommendations of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and domain knowledge experts, precaution dose is administered to the Health Care Workers (HCWs), Front Line Workers (FLWs) and persons aged 60 years and above since 10th January 2022.

As on 30th March 2022, a total of 2.29 crore precaution doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered,” Pawar added.