More than 30.62 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered in India on May 28, the Union Health Ministry's latest provisional report suggested.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country reached 20.89 crore. This includes 98.43 lakh healthcare workers and 1.54 crore frontline workers who have received the first dose, 67.60 lakh healthcare workers and 84.63 lakh frontline workers who have taken both doses. Also, 1.67 crore beneficiaries in the 18-44 age group have received the first dose and 298 people in the same group have got both the jabs.
Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have administered the first dose of anti-coronavirus vaccine to more than 10 lakh beneficiaries of the age group 18-44 years.
Besides, 6.45 crore and 1.03 crore beneficiaries aged between 45 and 60 years have been administered the first and second dose respectively. Also, 5.81 crore senior citizens and 1.85 crore such beneficiaries have received the first and second dose, respectively.
Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates of the novel coronavirus pandemic
The government has revised the gap between the two doses for the Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield, being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, to 12-16 weeks. However, the interval for the second dose of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin remains unchanged.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the nationwide vaccination drive on January 16, with healthcare workers at the frontline of India's COVID-19 battle getting their first jabs. The country began the second phase of the vaccination drive from March 1 in which everyone above 60 years of age and those over 45 years with comorbidities could start getting the vaccine.
From April 1, vaccination was opened for everyone above the age of 45 with or without comorbidities.
India rolled out the third phase of its COVID-19 vaccination drive for those in the 18-44 age group on May 1. The central government has liberalised the vaccination drive to allow states, private hospitals and industrial establishments to procure the doses directly from manufacturers.
Registration on CoWIN platform for the third phase began on April 28 and is mandatory for the 18-44 age group.
Here are key developments related to the COVID-19 vaccination process:
> Those in the 45 years and above age group can now get their first as well as second dose of Covishield vaccine in Mumbai without registration from Monday to Wednesday, the civic body said. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on May 28 came out with revised guidelines for vaccination against coronavirus. Students in the 18 to 44 years age group from Mumbai who are heading to foreign universities can also walk in at three dedicated vaccination centres -- Kasturba Hospital, Rajawadi Hospital and Cooper Hospital -- to get jabs on these three days, the BMC said.
> The pace of COVID-19 vaccination in Kerala has slowed drastically due to the limited supply, said the state on the day and urged the Centre to take measures to ensure the continuous supply of shots.
> Manufacturing to supply of COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin involves four months of lag time depending on technology and regulatory approvals, Bharat Biotech said.
> Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath told officials to intensify the vaccination drive to cover one crore people in the state in June. "Starting from June 1, vaccination will be intensified in all 75 districts of the state with a target of covering one crore people to safeguard them from coronavirus," an official spokesperson said.
> Delhi MLA Atishi said that there was no stock of Covaxin available for vaccination in any age group. While the vaccination of the 18-44 age group remained suspended for the fifth day, she also alleged that states, including Delhi, were not receiving doses to vaccinate the youth, however, private hospitals are not short of it.
> The Telangana government launched mass COVID-19 vaccination for high-risk groups, including accredited journalists, across the state. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar who visited a few vaccination centres in Hyderabad told reporters that more than 1.4 lakh people in the districts will be administered vaccine over the next three days during the special drive.
(With inputs from PTI)
Click here for Moneycontrol’s full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic
