India crosses 20 crore vaccinations mark in 130 days
Darpan News Desk IANS, 26 May, 2021 09:56 AM
New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) India has crossed 20 crore cumulative Covid-19 vaccinations, achieving this milestone in 130 days since the start of the vaccination drive on January 16, the Health and Family Welfare Ministry said on Wednesday.
On the 130th day, the cumulative Covid vaccination coverage stood at 20,06,62,456 doses, including 15,71,49,593 first doses and 4,35,12,863 second doses, as per data available at 7 a.m. on Wednesday.
India is the second country after the US, which took 124 days, to achieve this level.
Also, as per the data available on Our World In Data and multiple news articles, other leading countries in Covid vaccination drive include the UK which has reached 5.1 crore mark in 168 days, Brazil with 5.9 crore in 128 days, and Germany which reached 4.5 crore mark in 149 days.
As per the latest available data with the Union Health Ministry, over 34 per cent population above 45 years, and 42 per cent above 60 years, has received at least the first dose of the vaccine so far.
As of date, India is using three vaccines against COVID-19 in its immunisation drive; these include two made in India vaccines - Serum Institute of India's Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin. The Russian Sputnik V is the third vaccine to get approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for Emergency Use Authorisation and is being used in few private hospitals so far.
In Phase 1 of the vaccination drive, started on January 16, the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC) prioritised all health care workers, and front line workers, while Phase 2, starting from March 1, focused on protecting the most vulnerable age group - persons above 60 years of age and persons above 45 years with associated specified co-morbidities. This was further relaxed to all people above 45 years of age on April 1.
In Phase 3, under the "Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy" adopted on May 1, everyone above 18 years of age was eligible for the vaccination.
He said that the "endgame" in fighting the pandemic is vaccinating everyone. At the same time, he said that all of India should "shut down", as some states have done.
There is desparate struggle for oxygen and there is a major shortage of hospital beds. Crematoriums and morgues are packed and can't keep up with the constant flow of corpses coming in.
Social media is flooded with desparate pleas from people for oxygen for their loved ones while others have no option but to circle hospitals in the capital Delhi while begging for a bed.
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, President of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management committee & National Spokesman of the Akali Dal shared a celebratory tweet on Sidhu's release along with pictures and video on Instagram.
The situation has gotten so dire that not only are Indian doctors begging for oxygen but the hospitals are filling up with COVID19 positive patients so fast that people have been dying on the pavement outside a well known hospital in the capital Delhi.
