COVID-19 vaccine tracker: Over 54 lakh jabs administered on August 20; total coverage crosses 57 crore

(Image Source: Reuters/Jose Cabezas)

More than 54 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered in India on August 19, the Union Health Ministry's latest report suggested. With that, the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 57 crore.

On the 216th day of the vaccination drive on August 19, 54,71,282 beneficiaries received the jab, pushing India's total coverage to 57,22,81,488.

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

- Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said results of an ongoing research for development of COVID-19 vaccines for children may arrive next month and the antidote may be launched "very soon". "Our aim is to vaccinate every citizen. The Indian government has already given permission to Zydus Cadila and Bharat Biotech to conduct research for developing a COVID-19 vaccine for children.

- The Telangana government is working towards making Hyderabad a "100 percent COVID-19 vaccinated city" in the next 15 days. State Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, who addressed a workshop on Thursday, said the officials of health department and Greater Hyderabad Muncipal Corporation (GHMC), besides field staff should work in close coordination to make all the residential colonies in the city 100 per cent vaccinated, an official release said.

- The total number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 57.16 crore, including over 48 lakh doses given on Thursday, according to the Union health ministry. While 26,66,831 beneficiaries in the age group of 18-44 years received the first dose, 6,01,437 were administered the second dose of the vaccine on Thursday, the ministry said in a statement.

- The COVID-19 vaccination drive will remain suspended at the civic and state government-run centers in Mumbai on August 19 and 20 due to a shortage of vaccine doses, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Wednesday. This is for the third consecutive week in August that the civic authority has suspended the drive due to a shortage of vaccine doses.

- The national capital's stock of anti-coronavirus vaccine will only last for three days, according to a vaccination bulletin issued by the Delhi government on Thursday. As of Thursday morning, the balance stock of the vaccines -- Covaxin and Covishield -- was 2,36,330 and 3,05,990 doses, respectively, it said.

- Over 3.86 crore people did not get their second dose of anti-Covid vaccines -- Covishield and Covaxin -- within the stipulated period of time, the government has said in response to an RTI query. According to information on the CoWIN portal, as of Thursday afternoon 44,22,85,854 people have received their first dose, while 12,59,07,443 have also taken their second.

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