COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker: Over 1.02 crore doses given on September 27

On the 255th day of the vaccination drive against COVID-19, 62.04 lakh beneficiaries received their first shot and 40.17 lakh their second dose. (Representative image)

More than 1.02 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered in India on September 27, taking the total number of jabs to over 87.07 crore, the Union Health Ministry's latest report has said.

On the 255th day of the vaccination drive, 62.04 lakh beneficiaries received their first shot and 40.17 lakh their second dose.

"Congratulations to the nation, as we administer another 1 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses. Under PM @NarendraModi ji, India delivers a punch to Corona - Record of 1+ crore vaccines achieved for the 5th time," Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted.

After a slow start, India’s vaccination drive has picked up in the last few weeks. It took the country 85 days to give the first 10 crore doses. The next 10 crore took 45 days and in another 29 days, India touched the 30-crore mark.

The country took 24 days to reach 40 crore and 20 days to cross 50-crore doses on August 6. By September 13, 75 crore COVID-19 vaccines had been given. The biggest jump, however, came on September 17, when more than 2.1 crore doses were given in a day.

The government has revised the gap between the two doses for the Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), to 12-16 weeks. However, the interval for the second dose of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin remains unchanged at four weeks.

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. In the second phase that started from March 1, everyone above 60 and above 45 with comorbidities was included. From April 1, the drive was expanded to include all aged 45 and above.

From May 1, the 18-44 age group, too, was eligible for the jab.

Here are key developments related to the COVID-19 vaccination:

- Over 2.05 lakh COVID-19 doses were administered in Delhi on September 27, taking the total number of shots given to beneficiaries to above 1.73 crore, according to the Co-WIN portal. Out of these, 55,36,562 were second doses, it said. Only 21,887 vaccine doses were administered on September 26 (Sunday), including 12, 369 second doses as most government vaccination centres are shut on Sunday.

- Two persons, including a Community Health Centre (CHC) official, were arrested for allegedly administering COVID-19 vaccines illegally in a door-to-door campaign in Greater Noida, police said. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) Ankur Aggarwal said the duo was held by officials of Ecotech 3 police station after a complaint was received against them.

- More than 84.50 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been provided to states and union territories so far and nearly 21 lakh doses are in the pipeline, the Union health ministry said on the day. Over 4.74 crore balance and unutilised vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs for inoculation, it said.

- A 32-year-old man was arrested for allegedly attacking a medical officer with an axe in Yavatmal in Maharashtra for not allowing him to jump the COVID-19 vaccination queue, police said. The doctor was unhurt in the incident that took place in Vasant Nagar under Digras police station limits, an official said.