India’s 50% of the eligible population completed their first dose

India completed at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccination to half its eligible population above 18 years. Cumulative vaccinations (Including a number of first and second doses) touched the mark of 61.10 crores.

According to the government projection till 2020, the total adult population of the country was approximately 94 crore. On Thursday around 47.29 crore, people finished their first doses of the COVID19 vaccination.

India started its vaccination drive on January 16. Government first prioritized healthcare and frontline workers. As of 26^th August, 1.03 crore healthcare workers received their first dose, and 82 lakh had received both doses. 99 per cent of healthcare workers have received their first dose of vaccination and 83 per cent are fully vaccinated. All frontline workers have received their first shot, and 79 per cent are fully vaccinated.

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As of 26^th August 46,88,114 are vaccinated for the first dose and 20,99,191 received the second jab, according to the data available till 7 PM.

Smaller states like Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Goa, have completed vaccination above the national average. Whereas the four highly populated states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and West Bengal are yet to achieve 50 per cent single-dose vaccination.

Vaccinations are just to prevent severe hospitalization and it does not give guarantee protection from COVID19. ICMR Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava highlighted that vaccines do not prevent the disease but reduce its severity and hospitalization and following COVID19 protocol and wearing masks should continue to remain the priority.

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He further added that the second wave is still on in India. In some states, an upsurge is being observed in a few districts. We have 41 districts with a weekly positivity rate of 10 per cent; and 27 districts with a weekly positivity rate between 5 per cent and 10 per cent. The population density is causing the spread. Wherever Covid-19 appropriate is not being observed, we are seeing a surge of cases.