India fastest nation to give 100 million COVID vaccine doses in 85 days

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 10

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hailed India’s milestone achievement of administering 100 million COVID vaccine doses in 85 days, becoming the fastest in the world to do so.

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“Strengthening the efforts to ensure a healthy and COVID-19 free India,” tweeted the PM with the graph that showed now India administered 100 million doses in 85 days while the US and China did the same coverage in 89 and 102 days respectively.

Strengthening the efforts to ensure a healthy and COVID-19 free India. pic.twitter.com/A2cQ22pxEf

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 10, 2021

In terms of the number of daily doses administered globally, India continues to remain at the top with an average of 38,93,288 doses administered per day, the health ministry said earlier during the day. 

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 10,12,84,282 as per the provisional report at 7.30 pm, it said.

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The extension of vaccine coverage to those above 45 years of age along with recent provisions for them to get vaccinated at their workplaces—government and private—form a series of pro-active, collaborative and coordinated steps taken by the Centre and state governments for safety of people from the infectious coronavirus disease, the ministry said.

“This along with the efficient clinical management has thus far ensured that India has the lowest fatality rate in the world (1.28 per cent),” it highlighted.

On India being the fastest nation to administer 100 million doses, the ministry said, “The achievement is also a testimony of the ‘whole of society’ approach where individuals turned a deaf ear to rumours and propaganda of vested interests, shunned their vaccine hesitancy and strengthened the hand of the administration in curbing COVID-19.” The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, it said.

“A broader comparison with other countries on their achievements on the 85th day reaffirms the fact that India has the highest rate of vaccination per day,” the ministry underlined.

The US administered 92.09 million doses in 85 days and China’s vaccination coverage was 61.42 million in 85 days. The UK administered 21.32 million doses in 85 days, it said.

Eight states—Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar radesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala—account for 60.62 per cent of the total doses given so far in the country, according to the ministry.

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated and 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 co-morbid conditions.  India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1.

The 10.12 crore figure achieved across 15,17,260 sessions includes 90,03,060 HCWs who have taken the first dose and 55,06,717 HCWs who have taken the second dose, 99,39,321 FLWs who have received the first dose and 47,28,966 FLWs who have taken the second dose, the ministry said.

Besides them, 3,01,14,957 and 6,37,768 beneficiaries in the over 45 years-59 years category have been administered the first and second dose respectively, while , 3,95,64,741 and 17,88,752 individuals aged above 60 have taken the first and second dose respectively.

“Total 29,65,886 vaccine doses were given till 8 pm on Saturday, the 85th day of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive. Out of these, 26,31,119 beneficiaries were vaccinated for first dose and 3,34,767 beneficiaries received the second dose of the vaccine as per the provisional report,” the ministry said adding final reports would be completed for the day by late night. 

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