India closer to 100 cr vax shots; R-value under 1

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 19

India on Tuesday inched closer to the 100 crore (1 billion) Covid-19 shots mark with more than 99 crore doses administered.

In all 99,08,97,514 anti-Covid vaccine doses had been given as of today with a new study showing that the reproductive factor value of the Covid virus, which indicates the number of persons one infected host can infect further, has remained below 1 since September. Experts said the lower than 1 R-value is indicative of slower transmission and was a positive signal in India’s fight with the virus.

The Chennai-based Institute of Mathematical Sciences, in its latest study, said the R-value of top 10 states with the highest number of active cases was below 1 until October 18 even though some cities continue to see a rise in active cases. R-value is higher than 1 in Kolkata after the recent festivities of Durga Puja, shows the study.