Indian government provides over 162.73 cr COVID vaccine doses

More than 162.73 crore vaccine doses have been provided to all the states and union territories so far by Government of India via the free of cost channel and through direct state procurement category, stated a press release by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday. 

Also read: Omicron variant soon likely to enter villages, experts predict

Some top specialists predict a substantial increase in COVID-19 infections in the country, led by the omicron variant, in the coming weeks, noting that the variant was already in community transmission and hospitals were seeing more patients despite a reduction in cases in large cities.

India’s health ministry recorded 306,064 new infections in the last 24 hours, down 8% from the average daily cases reported in the previous four days. The number of deaths was 439, the lowest in five days.

Also read: Is omicron going to infect everyone? Here’s what the WHO has to say about it

World Health Organization‘s head, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on Monday, urged countries to work together to end the pandemic’s acute phase, claiming that they now had all the tools they needed.

The nationwide COVID 19 vaccination started on 16th January 2021. The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from 21st June 2021. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to states and union territories for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.

Also read: Fully vaccinated people are allowed at Republic Day parade: Check new guidelines

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Government of India has been supporting the states and union territories by providing them COVID vaccines free of cost. In the new phase of the universalization of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Union Government will procure and supply (free of cost) 75% of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to states and union territories.

More than 13.83 crore balance and unutilized COVID vaccine doses are still available with the states and union territories to be administered, according to the release.

(with inputs from PIB release)