60% of adults fully vaxxed, 89% with 1 dose

GOVT MAY REVIEW POLICY BY DEC-END

60% of adults fully vaxxed, 89% with 1 dose

Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:24.12.2021

More than 60% of India’s adults are now fully vaccinated with two doses of anti-Covid shots, while nearly 89% have received at least the first dose. More than 140 crore doses have been administered across the country since the vaccination programme was launched on January 16.

In the wake of increasing Omicron cases, the Centre also advised states going in for elections in the near future to exponentially ramp up vaccination, especially in low coverage districts. Besides, all states were advised to accord special focus to those districts where first and second dose coverage is lower than the national average.

The progress in coverage assumes significance in light of Omicron, the new variant of SARS-CoV2 which is spreading at least three times faster than the Delta variant. While full vaccination can protect individuals from severe disease and deaths, experts are also betting that large-scale vaccine-induced immunity may prevent transmission to an extent and further mutation.

Once majority of the adult population is covered with two doses, the government is likely to review the vaccination policy by end of December.