Several states have set higher vaccination targets as lockdown restrictions are eased across the country.
Highlights
- India recorded the highest single-day vaccination coverage today
- "Well done India," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted
- The vaccine remains our strongest weapon to fight COVID-19, PM Modi said
88.09 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered across the country in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day coverage till now, on Day One of centre's new vaccination policy roll-out.
Data on government's CoWin website showed a total of 86,16,373 vaccine shots were administered on Monday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday's record-breaking vaccination numbers are "gladdening."
"The vaccine remains our strongest weapon to fight COVID-19. Congratulations to those who got vaccinated and kudos to all the front-line warriors working hard to ensure so many citizens got the vaccine. Well done India!" PM Modi wrote on Twitter.
The centre started providing vaccines free of charge to all above 18 from Monday and took back control of vaccination from states, reversing a policy change that was enforced just about a month ago.
The centre also started the process of buying 75 per cent of the vaccines produced by companies, including 25 per cent assigned to states. Private hospitals will continue to buy the remaining 25 per cent and inoculate those willing to pay for their jabs, the Prime Minister had announced earlier this month.
The last time India's single-day vaccine coverage was the highest was on April 2 when 42,65,157 doses were administered.
"Central Government is beginning the 'Free Vaccination For All campaign' for every Indian from today. The biggest beneficiary of this phase of India's vaccination drive shall be the poor, the middle class and the youth of the country. All of us should pledge to get ourselves vaccinated. Together we will defeat COVID-19," PM Modi tweeted earlier on Monday.
Several states have set higher inoculation targets as lockdown restrictions are being eased, with Haryana expecting to vaccinate at least 2 lakh people on Monday. Gurugram's health department, till 7:30 PM on Monday, administered more than one lakh vaccines in the last 24 hours, the highest coverage in the city till now.
In Assam, which has one of the lowest vaccination rate within the country, the government on Monday launched an "Enhanced Covid Vaccination" drive that targets to inoculate 3 lakh people daily for the next 10 days. A total of 3.19 lakh people were vaccinated in the state on Monday.
Karnataka, targeting to inoculate around 7 lakh people on Monday in a boost to its vaccination drive, managed to give the shots to more than 10 lakh people against Covid in a day.
According to state governments' latest figures on Monday's vaccination drive, Madhya Pradesh administered 16,01,548 doses, Uttar Pradesh 6,74,546 doses, Rajasthan 4,30,439 doses and Maharashtra 3,78,945 doses. West Bengal administered 3,17,991 vaccine shots, Punjab 90,503 shots and Delhi 76,216 shots in a day.
During May, more than 7.9 crore vaccines were available for the nationwide vaccination exercise, the centre said on Monday, adding that these were ramped up to 11.78 crore in June. These include the free supply of vaccines to states from the centre, those directly procured by the states and those directly procured by the private hospitals.
The centre on Sunday said more than 3.06 crore vaccine doses are still available with the states while around 24,53,080 vaccine doses will be given to the states within the next three days.
Before the centre's takeover, it was the responsibility of state governments to procure and administer 50 per cent of the vaccines for citizens between the ages of 18 to 45. The centre supplied free vaccines to only people aged 45 and above earlier.
India's cumulative COVID-19 vaccination coverage exceeded 28 crore on Sunday with 28,00,36,898 doses being administered through 38,24,408 sessions, as per the provisional report till 7 AM by the health ministry this morning. The latest cumulative numbers for Monday are yet to be released by the government.