India administers over 74 crore COVID jabs; all adults in six states, UTs vaccinated with first dose

New Delhi: All adult people in Sikkim, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Ladakh and Lakshadweep have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine as the cumulative jabs administered in the country crossed 74 crore on Sunday, the Union health ministry said. Over 52 lakh vaccine doses was administered on Sunday, according to data from the CoWIN portal. “Congratulations to these states and Union Territories for administering the first COVID-19 vaccine dose to 100 percent of the adult population. Special appreciation for the health workers in these regions for their diligence and commitment, the office of Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted. Along with the tweet, the office of the Union health minister also put up a chart which stated that Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (6.26 lakh doses), Goa (11.83 lakh doses), Himachal Pradesh (55.74 lakh doses), Ladakh (1.97 lakh doses), Lakshadweep (53,499 doses), and Sikkim (5.10 lakh doses) are the states and UTs with 100 percent eligible population vaccinated with the first dose of the vaccine. The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on 16 January with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Vaccination of frontline workers started on 2 February. The next phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive commenced from 1 March for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. The country launched vaccination for all people aged over 45 years from 1 April. The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to be vaccinated from 1 May. The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, the ministry said.