Coronavirus Variants and Vaccinations, Coronavirus Active Cases in India Today News, October 22 Highlights: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation at 10 AM today. During his address, Modi said India’s vaccination programme was science-born, science-driven and science-based. He also said there was no “VIP culture” in the drive and everyone is treated equally. “India’s vaccine campaign is a living example of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas aur Sabka Prayas, he said.
His address comes a day after India crossed the milestone of 100 crore doses in Covid-19 vaccination. The country achieved the feat in just about nine months after the beginning of the nationwide vaccination drive in January. The country has so far vaccinated 75% of its adult population with the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and 30% with both doses (fully vaccinated). He described India’s Covid-19 vaccination drive as a journey from “anxiety to assurance” that has made the country emerge stronger, and credited its success to people’s trust in the vaccines despite “various efforts to create mistrust and panic”.
What Next? According to Union Health Ministry data, India has administered an average of 59.29 lakh doses of the Covid-19 vaccine daily in the month of August. It increased to 78.69 lakh doses in September. But, the pace of vaccination dropped in October. In the first 20 days of the month, the average daily vaccinations have fallen to 46.68 lakh doses.
Vaccines are the main weapon in the fight against the Covid-19. It provides significant protection against severe Covid-19 infections, hospitalisation, and death. But, even almost after nine months of the launch of the vaccination drive, approximately 20% of the population above 60 years is yet to receive the first dose, according to data. Nearly 10.62 crore persons in the 60-plus age group have been administered the first dose and 6.20 crore are fully vaccinated.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Monday held a review meeting on the progress of the nationwide vaccination drive and he asked states/UTs to increase the pace of vaccination. Early this week, the Union Health Ministry has urged all states/UTs to focus on administering the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine as supply improves. India is aiming to finish vaccinating all its eligible population by the year-end.
Meanwhile, India reported 15,786 new Coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, taking its overall Covid-19 tally to 3,41,43,236, while the active cases have declined to 1,75,745, the lowest in 232 days, according to data from the Union health ministry on Friday. With 231 fresh fatalities, the Covid-19 death toll has climbed to 4,53,042, the Health Ministry said. The daily rise in new coronavirus infections has been below 30,000 for 28 straight days and less than 50,000 daily new cases have been reported for 117 consecutive days now.
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