According to a provisional data released on Thursday by the Union Health Ministry, the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine coverage has surpassed the 61 crore mark.
According to a statement released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), 61,10,43,573 vaccination doses have been administered so far.
Nearly 68 lakh (67,87,305) vaccine doses were administered on Thursday on the 223rd day of the vaccination drive, as per the 7 pm provisional report. “Final reports would be completed for the day by late tonight” a release by the Health Ministry stated.
Taking to Twitter, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed that 50 per cent of the eligible population is vaccinated with first dose of the vaccine.
“India achieves unprecedented milestone! 50 per cent of the eligible population inoculated with the first dose of #COVID19 vaccine. Keep it up India. Let us fight Corona,” he wrote.
As per the statement, 47,19,00,520 doses were inoculated as first dose while 13,91,43,053 were administered as the second dose. On Thursday, 46,88,114 vaccine jabs were given as first dose to eligible beneficiaries and 20,99,191 were given as second dose.
The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started from February 2.
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.
The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to be vaccinated from May 1.
(With inputs from ANI)
