Over 100 million Indians skipped second dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Story highlights
India’s health minister Mansukh Mandviya has asked the state governments to improve the momentum of vaccination and accelerate its coverage
About 100 million people in India did not turn up for their second COVID-19 vaccine dose, health officials have said, indicating signs of complacency as the country continues to register a lower number of coronavirus cases.
“It was pointed out that many states have adequate doses to vaccinate those people who are awaiting their second dose. Government of India is in a position to provide additional vaccine doses ... so that they can complete the aforesaid task,” the health ministry said in a statement.
Daily shots have averaged 5 million this month, a fifth of September’s peak, though states are sitting on record stocks of more than 100 million even as domestic production of vaccine soars.
Despite the low number of infections, the central government has been urging the states and union territories to focus on beneficiaries who are waiting for their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine after their interval period gets over.
On Wednesday, India’s health minister Mansukh Mandviya asked the state governments to improve the momentum of vaccination and accelerate its coverage.
India has administered first doses to 725 million people, or to 77% of its’ 944 million adults, and second doses to 316 million, or 34%.
More than 242 million Indian adults have yet to get a shot, while vaccination has not started for those under 18.
India on Friday recorded 14,348 new COVID-19 cases, nearly 2,000 cases lower than Thursday, according to the health ministry.
The death toll also climbed to 457,191 with 805 daily fatalities.
The daily rise in new COVID-19 cases has been below 30,000 for 36 straight days and less than 50,000 new infections have been reported for the 125 consecutive days now.
(With inputs from agencies)