Covid-19: 2021 ends in two months and only 31 per cent immunised

Even as PM Modi and the BJP celebrate 100-cr vaccination ‘feat’, his govt is falling way behind its target of vaccinating every Indian by end of this year

Even as the Centre is way behind its target of vaccinating every adult by the end of this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP celebrated the 100-crore vaccination mark on Thursday. Only about 31 per cent of the country’s around 93 crore adults have been administered both the doses so far, according to Union health ministry officials.

Union ministers have been repeatedly saying that India will fully vaccinate all its adult by December end. “India’s vaccination will be completed before 2021. The Health Ministry has given a blueprint. 108 crore people — with 216 crore doses — will be vaccinated by December,” Union Prakash Javadekar had said in May.

In September, Union ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and G Kishan Reddy reiterated the same. “We have been constantly working on increasing the production and availability of vaccines, and will have each Indian vaccinated by December, which will be a huge record,” Shekhawat had said.

According to data from the CoWIN portal, so far, over 70 crore vaccine doses have been administered as first dose and over 29 crore as second dose. Meanwhile, the ruling party and Union and state ministers celebrated, as India surpassed the 100-crore vaccination mark. Experts on the other hand urged caution and said that the pandemic is far from over.

Experts caution

Former director general of ICMR Nirmal Ganguly said, “There is enough data that a single dose doesn’t protect us from the infection. Inoculation with both doses of vaccine prevents hospitalisation and the death rate remains low. So double dose is important.”

The Centre is optimistic that the rising vaccine supply will be enough to cover its international and domestic commitments. Both of the two main suppliers have ramped up production, with the Serum Institute of India now producing around 22 crore doses a month and Bharat Biotech about 3 crore, said V K Paul, the head of national Covid-19 Task Force.

Still, experts say the vaccine situation will need constant review. “There can be no written-in-stone rule — if infections rise drastically, they can again stop exports until there’s enough doses,” said K Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India.

3,41,27,450
Total no. of Coronavirus cases in India so far

4,52,811
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India so far

1,78,831
Total no. of active cases in India

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