Record 84 lakh-plus people vaccinated on Day 1 of new Covid vaccine regime

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 21

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed the massive escalation of the Covid-19 inoculation drive with record 84 lakh-plus doses being administered, as the new vaccine regime kicked in with the Centre assuming a principal role in the process.

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“Today’s record-breaking vaccination numbers are gladdening. The vaccine remains our strongest weapon to fight Covid-19. Congratulations to those who got vaccinated and kudos to all the front-line warriors working hard to ensure so many citizens got the vaccine. Well done India!” PM Modi said as the government reiterated its commitment to reach all 95 crore adults by December.

“In a landmark achievement, 84.07 lakh doses have been administered on the first day of the new phase of Covid-19 vaccination,” the Health Ministry said.

Madhya Pradesh led the jab delivery chart today, administering a whopping 15,42,632 doses, followed by Karnataka’s 10.67 lakh, UP’s 6.74lakh, Gujarat’s 5.02 lakh and Haryana’s 4.72 lakh.

In the region, J-K delivered the least doses at 32,82 followed by Punjab’s 90,503, Himachal’s 98,169, Uttrakhand’s 1,15, 376 and Haryana’s 4.72 lakh.

Under the new regime, all adults would be entitled to free vaccines at government centres unless they wish to pay for the jabs at private facilities. Even in private facilities the cost per dose of Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V has been capped.

The new phase was announced by Prime Minister Modi on June 7, with the PM giving a clarion call to citizens to accept vaccines.

“Today’s achievement showcases the trust placed by the people of India in the government in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic,” said the government.

Under the new policy, the Centre will procure 75 per cent of all monthly stocks of vaccine makers for free distribution to states.

Private hospitals will procure 25 per cent but state governments will aggregate their demand and send it to the Centre for facilitation of procurement to ensure fair supply of jabs across private hospitals of the country.

The Centre has said it would have 2 billion doses by December – enough to inoculate 95 crore adults with two doses each.

During May 2021, more than 7.9 crore vaccines were available for the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination exercise.

These were ramped up to 11.78 crore in June 2021, an increase of nearly 1.5 times.

“These include the free supply of vaccines to states from the Government of India, those directly procured by states directly and those directly procured by private hospitals,” the Centre said.

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