Centre to supply over 4 lakh COVID-19 vaccines to states and UTs in next three days

New Delhi: More than 1.82 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are available with states and union territories, and over 4 lakh will be received by them within the next three days, the Union health ministry said on Saturday. The central government has so far provided, through the free of cost category and direct state procurement category, more than 22.77 crore vaccine doses to states and UTs. Of these, the total consumption, including wastages is 20,80,09,397 doses, according to data available at 8 am on Saturday, the ministry said. “More than 1.82 crore (1,82,21,403) COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered. Furthermore, 4,86,180 vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by the states and UTs within the next 3 days,” the ministry said. As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Centre has been supporting the states and UTs by providing them Covid vaccines free of cost. In addition, it has been facilitating direct procurement of vaccines by the states and UTs. Vaccination is an integral pillar of the comprehensive strategy of Union government for containment and management of the pandemic, along with test, track, treat and COVID-appropriate behaviour, the ministry said. Implementation of the liberalised and accelerated phase-3 strategy of Covid vaccination has started from 1 May, it said. Under the strategy, 50 percent of the total Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccine doses of any manufacturer would be procured by the government of India every month. It would continue to make these doses available to the states free of cost as was being done earlier, the ministry said.