Some reports on vaccination numbers 'incorrect', says Health Ministry
Darpan News Desk IANS, 02 Jun, 2021 10:21 AM
New Delhi, June 2 (IANS) The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday termed certain media reports regarding the number of vaccine doses acquired and administered in the country as "factually incorrect and without any basis".
"There have been several unfounded media reports that have peddled misinformation among the masses regarding this exercise of national importance," a ministry statement said, adding that the total number of Covid vaccine doses administered in the country so far stand at 21,85,46,667.
"There have been media reports alleging the Union Government promising 120 million doses of vaccines during June 2021 while administering only around 58 million doses from the total of 79 million doses available in the month of May. This report is factually incorrect and without any basis," it said, adding that as per the data at 7 am, on June 1, between May 1-31, a total of 61.06 million doses have been administered by states/UTs.
A total of 16.22 million balance and unutilised doses were available with states/UTs. The total vaccines shots available from May 1-31 were 79.45 million, it said.
"Some media reports have criticized India's vaccination policy based on unverified quotes. These reports questioning the prioritisation of population segments are not supported by full information on the matter," the statement said.
The ministry said the primary objectives of the vaccination is to protect the healthcare workers from the Covid pandemic, prevent deaths and protect individuals at the highest risk and vulnerability of mortality due to the disease.
It said the vaccination drive has been sequentially expanded to cover the prioritised groups, starting with the healthcare workers, followed by the frontline workers, then people aged 60 years and above and those aged 45-59 years with 20 identified comorbidities.
Subsequently, from April 1, all citizens aged 45 years and above became eligible for vaccination.
Such an approach has yielded positive results by achieving more than 81 per cent first-dose coverage among the registered healthcare workers and around 84 per cent first-dose coverage among the frontline workers, thereby protecting these sections who are involved in providing healthcare services, surveillance and containment activities amid the second wave of the pandemic, the statement said.
Also, 37 per cent beneficiaries in the 45 years and above age group have been administered the first dose of the vaccine, and 32 per cent of the eligible beneficiaries in this segment have received the second dose, the statement said.
From May 1, all citizens aged 18 years and above became eligible for vaccination. A "Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy" was adopted on May 1 which is guiding the ongoing third phase of the vaccination drive, it said.
The firefight at Sopore was the second encounter that erupted in Kashmir in less than 12 hours after an exchange of fire between between terrorists and security forces at Ganapora area of Shopian district in south Kashmir earlier on Friday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Shahdara, R. Sathiyasundaram said that Vivek Vihar police station personnel arrested the two fraudsters -- Ritik Kumar Singh, of Bihar's Ara district and Sandeep Panday, a resident of Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur -- who used to make promises to provide oxygen cylinder at doorsteps, received money through digital transactions, and then, disappeared.
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.
At several places including outside the Delhi borders, the farmers burnt effigies of the Central government, hoisted black flags on their homes, farms or vehicles to condemn the farm laws and demanding their rollback as over 470 farmers' lives have been lost in the past six months.
Doctors suspect that the sudden surge in mucormycosis, or “black fungus” infection, may be linked to the use of steroids to treat COVID-19. It can result in breathing problems and coughing blood.
India broke its own previous record of Covid deaths in 24 hours after the the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday said the nation recorded 4,529 deaths -- the highest number of fatalities from Covid infection.
