India is about to achieve the coveted landmark of administering 200 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses in what has been touted as the world’s biggest inoculation drive. Union Health Minister on Saturday tweeted saying that history was about to be created under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The countdown to two billion doses began earlier on Saturday as the health ministry data showed that the cumulative vaccination coverage had exceeded 199.71 crore jabs on the day.
More than 10 lakh vaccine doses were administered till 7 pm on Saturday. The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day.
Over 14.94 lakh precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines were given to people in the 18-59 age group till 10 pm, with the majority administered for free under the government’s special 75-day drive ‘COVID Vaccination Amrit Mahotsav’. The total number of precaution doses administered in the 18-59 age group has crossed 1,06,32,488, according to ministry data.
Here is a brief timeline of India’s COVID-19 vaccination drive:
January 16, 2021: Centre starts vaccination of frontline workers
March 1, 2021: Vaccination drive for people above 60 and those aged 45 and above with specified comorbidities begins
April 1, 2021: Centre launches vaccination for all aged above 45
May 1, 2021: Vaccination drive expanded by allowing everyone aged above 18
October 21, 2021: India crosses landmark of vaccinating 100 crore individuals
January 3, 2022: Vaccination for adolescents in 15-18 age group commences
January 10, 2022: India begins administering precaution doses to healthcare workers, frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities
March 16, 2022: Inoculation of children aged 12 to 14 begins
July 15, 2022: ‘COVID vaccination Amrit Mahotsav’ launched to provide free precaution does to all aged above 18 and above at government vaccination centres
So far, 2.81 crore vaccine doses have been administered to those aged 60 and above.
As many as 3.79 crore children in the 12-14 age group have been administered the first dose, while more than 6.08 crore adolescents in the 15-18 age group have been given the first dose.
The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 last year for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.
The vaccination of all those aged above 45 began on April 1 last year. The government then decided to expand the ambit of the vaccination drive by allowing everyone above the age of 18 to be inoculated against COVID-19 from May 1 last year.
The inoculation of adolescents in the 15-18 age group commenced on January 3.
India began administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10.
The country began inoculating children in the 12-14 age group from March 16 and also removed the comorbidity clause, making all those aged above 60 eligible for precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
India began administering precaution doses to all aged above 18 on April 10.
