News Analysis India

Tag: Covid vaccination

  • Two running illegal door-to-door Covid vaccine campaign in UP arrested

    By PTI

    NOIDA: Two persons, including a Community Health Centre (CHC) official, were arrested on Monday for allegedly administering COVID-19 vaccines illegally in a door-to-door campaign in Greater Noida, police said.

    Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) Ankur Aggarwal said the duo was held by officials of Ecotech 3 police station after a complaint was received against them.

    “Some Covaxin and Covishield vials, along with some syringes, have been recovered from their possession. The vials look original but have been sent for forensic test to ascertain if they are actual vaccines,” Aggarwal said.

    “CHC Bisrakh officials had informed the police about an illegal door-to-door vaccination campaign being carried out in the villages in the area by the accused persons,” he said.

    Action was taken immediately and accused Sushil and Ravi Kumar arrested, the officer said According to the police, 19 vials of the vaccines, including Covaxin and Covishield, were seized from the duo along with 155 syringes, of which 30 were used.

    Additional DCP Aggarwal said a probe is underway to find out from where the two procured the vaccines.

    An FIR has been lodged and further legal proceedings are underway, the police added.

  • Man demands COVID-19 vaccination on priority, attacks doctor with axe when refused

    By PTI

    YAVATMAL: A 32-year-old man was arrested on Monday for allegedly attacking a medical official with an axe in Yavatmal in Maharashtra for not allowing him to jump the COVID-19 vaccination queue, police said.

    The doctor was unhurt in the incident that took place in Vasant Nagar under Digras police station limits, an official said.

    “The accused, Manohar Rathod, came to the centre and demanded he be vaccinated ahead of the queue, and got enraged when medical officer in charge Dr Santosh Jadhav told him to get registered first. He attacked Jadhav with an axe, but the latter stepped back and avoided getting hurt,” the official said.

    The accused was arrested during the day on the basis of a complaint by Jadhav, he added.

  • India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage crosses 86 crore, one crore doses given on Monday

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 86 crore, with over 1 crore doses given on Monday, the Union health ministry said.

    “Congratulations to the nation, as we administer another 1 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses. Under PM @NarendraModi ji, India delivers a punch to Corona – Record of 1+ crore vaccines achieved for the 5th time,” Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted.

    The daily COVID-19 vaccination in the country had crossed 1 crore for the first time on August 27.

    The daily vaccination tally for Monday is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late night , the ministry said.

    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, it said.

    The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase.

    The vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2.

    The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 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 more than 45 years from April 1.

    The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to be vaccinated from May 1.

  • Centre allows Covid vaccination at home for the disabled, bedridden

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Centre on Thursday asked the states to identify bedridden and disabled people, who are unable to access Covid shots even at nearby vaccination centres, to arrange for their inoculation at home.

    It had earlier turned down similar proposals, including the one by the Municipal Commission in Mumbai.

    In a letter issued to state health secretaries on Wednesday, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that “it is understood that there are still some persons who might be bed-ridden or have extremely restricted mobility or disability that may hamper their accessibility even to NHCVCs”.

    He advised the states that a line list of such potential beneficiaries and their caregivers may be prepared in the catchment area of every planning unit and collated at the district level.

    “Subsequently, vaccination of such beneficiaries may be facilitated at their place of residence using mobile vaccination teams,” said the letter.

    ALSO READ | 66% of adult population got at least one shot of COVID vaccine, 23% received both jabs: Centre

    Planning of such a drive, the Centre has cautioned, should be cognisant of the fact that open vial policy is not applicable to Covid vaccines and hence it should be ensured that vaccine wastage is minimal, logistic requirements are maintained and adverse events following immunisation are monitored. 

    In late May, the Union health ministry had issued guidelines for vaccination near home, making it easier for the elderly and the differently-abled to get inoculated against coronavirus close to the places of their residence.

    Through these guidelines, the government had said that individuals above 60 who have not been vaccinated or have received just the first dose, and those below 60 but with disabilities due to physical or medical conditions could be eligible for inoculation at such centres.

    These SOPs were based on recommendations by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid.

    In the latest letter to the states, the ministry said that 16.13 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far through NHCVC, adding that these centres should continue.

    Overall, nearly 84 crore vaccine doses in India have now been administered and 66 % of the adult population has received at least one dose while 23 % of the 18 plus population group is fully vaccinated.

  • Shocking! Woman vaccinated four months after her death due to Covid complications in MP

    Express News Service

    BHOPAL: On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday (September 17), when India reportedly set a vaccination record by successfully rendering over 2.51 crore jabs of the Covid vaccines, the BJP ruled Madhya Pradesh not only vaccinated living ones but also rendered protective jab to a woman who died of Covid-related complications on May 1.

    On September 17, those administered 29 lakh doses of the Covid vaccines in MP, included Vidya Sharma, who died of Covid related complications on May 1 in Agar-Malwa district, around two months after she received her first jab of the Covid vaccine on March 8.

    “My mother Vidya Sharma got the first dose of the Covid vaccine on March 8 at the government hospital in Agar, but in April end she was infected with Covid and succumbed to the same viral infection at the government hospital on May 1. More than four months after her death, I received a text message on my phone at 8.02 pm on September 17, which informed me that my mother was successfully administered the second dose of the vaccine. I was even able to download her vaccination certificate in which it was mentioned that she had been successfully administered the second dose at Town Hall in Ward No. 4 of Agar town on September 17,” Vidya Sharma’s son Ashutosh Sharma told The New Indian Express.

    While showing her mother’s death certificate as well as the September 17 Covid vaccination certificate, Ashutosh said, “Such incidents suggest that instead of actual vaccination, the under-pressure government staff is indulging in acts of fudging numbers to show that targets are being achieved on the ground.”

    In the same Agar-Malwa district, 26-year-old Pinki Verma received a text message on September 17 only about having been vaccinated with a second dose 110 km away in the Jhalawar district of Rajasthan, despite having not taken the jab. “I got the first dose on June 5 and was scheduled to get the second dose on September 7, but couldn’t get the second dose owing to some major illness. But on September 17, I got a text message over the phone informing me about my successful second dose of vaccination somewhere in Jhalawar,” she said.

    In the MP capital Bhopal also, 54-year-old Leela Sutar got the first dose of the Covid vaccine on March 25, but despite not having been vaccinated with the second dose, she was informed that she had been successfully vaccinated with the second dose on September 17 in Bhopal.

    The state’s medical education minister Vishvas Sarang, when asked about these episodes, termed them as some sporadic incidents due to clerical errors. “A few incidents might have happened due to clerical errors, which will be rectified,” he said.

    Earlier in June, similar anomalies had been reported in MP, where a 13-year-old boy from Bhopal was shown as successfully vaccinated in records, even when to date the vaccination of those aged between 12 and 18 years is yet to start in the country.

  • Vaccination drive reaches milestone of 2 crore on PM Modi’s birthday

    By Online Desk

    India on Friday set a new record by administering over two crore Covid vaccine doses in a day.

    This came as a major push to the inoculation drive on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.

    Earlier, a top government source had said: “The central government is aiming for a record 2 crore Covid vaccine doses on PM Modi’s birthday. The union health minister is taking updates of vaccination doses across the country.”

    Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also encouraged beneficiaries to get themselves inoculated today.

    “Great to see you wished PM @NarendraModi Ji by vaccinating yourself and booking others’ slots. Let us all do #VaccineSeva by getting vaccinated and encouraging those around us to do the same!#HappyBirthdayModiji,” he tweeted while responding to a tweet by a person who got the jab on Friday.

    #VaccineSeva को चरितार्थ करते हुए स्वास्थ्य कर्मियों एवं देशवासियों की तरफ़ से प्रधानमंत्री जी को उपहार।प्रधानमंत्री @NarendraModi जी के जन्मदिन पर आज भारत ने नया कीर्तिमान स्थापित करते हुए एक दिन में 2 करोड़ टीके लगाने का ऐतिहासिक आँकड़ा पार किया है।Well done India! pic.twitter.com/P94vXMN4Ow
    — Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) September 17, 2021
    Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also aims to make PM Modi’s birthday by setting a record of the maximum number of Covidvaccine inoculations on the day, said sources.

    As earlier reported, senior leaders in the BJP said that the party will try to see the day will be recorded in the nation’s history as the one that witnessed a record number of Covid vaccinations.

    Earlier, on Thursday, the Health Minister encouraged the people by taking on to a social media platform, the minister tweeted, “Tomorrow is the birthday of our all dear Prime Minister, come on #VaccineSeva Taxes, who have not taken the vaccine, give birthday gifts to their loved ones, family members and all sections of the society by getting them vaccinated.”

    As per the data available on the COWIN portal, 1,60,98,055 vaccine doses have been administered till 3:42 pm today.

    As per the Union Health Ministry, over 77.77 crore Covid vaccine doses have been provided to states and union territories so far through the free cost channel.

    The ministry further said that more than 6,17,22,315 balance and unutilised COVID vaccine doses are still available with the states and union territories to be administered. 

  • Daily vaccination drive reaches milestone of 2 crore on PM Modi’s birthday

    By Online Desk

    India on Friday set a new record of daily 19 vaccinations with nearly 2.22 crore doses of vaccine doses administered by 8 pm alone, as state governments responded to a call given by the Union health ministry to mark PM Narendra Modi’s 71st birthday as “vaccine sewa day”

    By the end of the day, this figure is likely to go near the 2.5 crore mark. 

    Globally, as per the available information, the record of carrying out the highest Covid vaccinations lay with China which had administered 2.45 crore vaccine shots in a day.

    Earlier, a top government source had said: “The central government is aiming for a record 2 crore Covid vaccine doses on PM Modi’s birthday. The union health minister is taking updates of vaccination doses across the country.”

    Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also encouraged beneficiaries to get themselves inoculated today.

    “Great to see you wished PM @NarendraModi Ji by vaccinating yourself and booking others’ slots. Let us all do #VaccineSeva by getting vaccinated and encouraging those around us to do the same!#HappyBirthdayModiji,” he tweeted while responding to a tweet by a person who got the jab on Friday.

    #VaccineSeva को चरितार्थ करते हुए स्वास्थ्य कर्मियों एवं देशवासियों की तरफ़ से प्रधानमंत्री जी को उपहार।प्रधानमंत्री @NarendraModi जी के जन्मदिन पर आज भारत ने नया कीर्तिमान स्थापित करते हुए एक दिन में 2 करोड़ टीके लगाने का ऐतिहासिक आँकड़ा पार किया है।Well done India! pic.twitter.com/P94vXMN4Ow
    — Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) September 17, 2021
    BJP had earlier said they will mark PM Modi’s birthday by setting the record of the maximum number of Covid vaccine inoculations on the day, said sources.

    The CoWin dashboard maintained by the Centre showed that the high inoculations were largely driven by Karnataka, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh while the shots were being given at more than 1 lakh vaccination sites—the highest ever—across India on Friday. 

    The majority of the vaccination sites were at the government hospitals with the private sector contributing a minuscule number only.

    Notably, in states such as West Bengal and Jharkhand — both ruled by non-BJP governments but have the lowest percentage of population covered with at least one dose of vaccine, there was no dramatic rise in vaccination on Friday.

    Thus far, India has crossed the 1-crore mark only three times in single-day Covid vaccination — the first being on August 27.

    Ahead of PM’s birthday, several states had planned special vaccination drives and while the Gujarat government had declared its intention to administer over 35 lakh doses of the Covid-19 vaccine today, the Assam government targeted to vaccinate 8 lakh people.

    The Bihar government had said it will administer nearly 30 lakh doses on Friday.

    As of Thursday, about 62 % of the adult population in India had received at least one dose of Covid shots while only about 20 % of the population was fully immunised. With high vaccination figures attained for a day on Friday, these figures are set to rise by over 2 notches each.

    (With ENS inputs)

  • PM Narendra Modi chairs high-level meeting on COVID situation, vaccination

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday chaired a high-level meeting to review the COVID-19 related situation and the vaccination drive in the country, government sources said.

    The meeting comes a day after Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said India is still going through the second wave of COVID-19 and it is not over yet.

    He had said 35 districts are still reporting a weekly Covid positivity rate of over 10 per cent while it is between five to 10 per cent in 30 districts.

    More than half of India’s adult population has received at least one dose of anti-coronavirus vaccine while 18 per cent have got both the shots, the Union government had said on Thursday as the total number of jabs administered in the country crossed 72 crore.

  • ‘India doing much better than other countries’: PM Modi on vaccination drive

    By PTI

    SHIMLA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India is administering 1.25 crore Covid vaccines daily which is higher than the population of several countries.

    Himachal Pradesh has become a champion by being the first state to administer the first dose of Covid vaccine to all eligible people despite logistic difficulties, he said through video conference.

    Sikkim and Dadra and Nagar Haveli too have achieved this target, he added.

    Earlier, Modi interacted with healthcare workers and beneficiaries of the Covid vaccination programme in the state through video conference.

    Modi is virtually talking to healthcare workers to appreciate their efforts.

    Interacting with Dr Rahul, posted at the Dodra Kwar Civil Hospital in Shimla district, Modi said 10 per cent of the expenditure can be saved if all 11 shots in a single vial are used while administering Covid vaccines.

    The prime minister appreciated health worker Karmo Devi from Una for vaccinating people despite having a fractured leg.

    Devi told Modi that she has so far administered 22,500 vaccines.

    Meanwhile, Nawang Upashak from Lahaul-Spiti told Modi that the Atal Tunnel had given a boost to the tourism sector in the tribal district and between 700-800 local residents have sought the authority’s approval to open homestays.

  • India administers over 1.1 crore Covid jabs on August 31, highest single-day vaccinations so far

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: India administered nearly 1.1 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday, the highest single-day vaccinations so far, repeating a feat of over one crore jabs in a day -three days after achieving it first.

    According to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandwiya, over 1.09 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccination were administered till 6 pm on Tuesday with the count expected to go higher.

    As per the details shared by the Centre, over 64.36 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have been provided to states so far through its free of cost channel and the direct state procurement category while nearly 1.5 crore more doses are in pipeline for immediate supply.

    The Union Ministry said that 5,42,30,546 Covid-19 vaccine doses — balance and unutilised — are still available with states and UTs.

    The inoculation drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advanced visibility of vaccine availability to states and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain, the government maintained.

    Talking to this newspaper late last week, N K Arora, chief of the Covid 19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group Immunisation had said that with one crore plus vaccination on Friday, India had shown that there was no problem of capacity while the supply hiccups are being addressed.

    For September, he said, nearly 20-22 crore doses are likely to be available while the supply figures will reach about the 30 crore mark in October.

    From October, he had said, the daily vaccinations could go up to 1.2-1.3 crore every day.