As India’s vaccination drive completed a year on Sunday, the health ministry said 156.76 crore vaccines have been administered and more 92 per cent of the adult population have received at least one dose. Over 68 per cent of them have been fully vaccinated, the ministry officials added. The drive began on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2.
On the occasion of one-year anniversary of the commencement of vaccination programme in the country, Prime Minister Modi saluted “each and every individual” associated with it and said the programme added great strength to the fight against Covid -19. “Today we mark 1 year of vaccination drive. I salute each and every individual who is associated with the vaccination drive. Our vaccination programme has added great strength to the fight against Covid-19. It has led to saving lives and thus protecting livelihoods,” he tweeted.
India reported 2,71,202 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, marginally higher than Saturday’s infections, data updated by the Union Ministry of Health showed on Sunday morning. The positivity rate was also lower at 16.28 per cent from 16.66 per cent. The country also recorded 314 Covid-19 related fatalities in the last 24 hours, which have taken the death toll to 4,86,066. As many as 1,38,331 people recovered from the infection and the number of active cases now stand at 15,50,377. A total of 7,743 Omicron cases have been detected so far across the country—an increase of 28.17 per cent since Saturday.