COVID-19: Over 18K beneficiaries vaccinated on Wednesday in Delhi; total 3.4 lakh

Over 3.4 lakh beneficiaries have received COVID-19 vaccine till date in Delhi since the start of the inoculation drive a month ago, with more than 18,000 people receiving the jabs on Wednesday, according to data shared by officials.

Of these, more than 1.41 lakh are healthcare workers and over 2 lakh are frontline workers, as per the data. On Wednesday, coronavirus vaccine shots were administered to nearly 18,600 beneficiaries in Delhi. Two minor cases of AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) were reported, officials said.

On Tuesday, 20,466 beneficiaries received the jabs across 313 centres. On Wednesday, 18,599 people were vaccinated, including 4,263 healthcare workers who got their second dose, as the inoculation drive picked up pace, according to data. "Two minor cases of AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) were reported," the official said.

Till date, 1,41,392 healthcare workers have been vaccinated, and 2,02,945 frontline workers also received the vaccine, as per the data shared by the officials. Frontline workers include police personnel, civil defence staff, sanitation workers, among others. The vaccination drive, started on January 16, has picked up pace in the last one week.

Under the nationwide mega vaccination drive launched on January 16, a total of 4,319 (53 per cent) health workers against a target of 8,117, were administered the shots at 81 centres across the city on day one.

As per doctors, the second dose is to given to a beneficiary after a gap of 28 days. On February 13, a total of 13,768 beneficiaries received the vaccine shots and a second dose was given to healthcare workers who had received the first jab 28 days ago.

On the second scheduled day after the roll-out of the exercise on January 16, the figures had stood at 3,598 (44 per cent of the target). The sharp fall had come after one severe and 50 minor adverse effect cases were reported, on the opening day of the vaccination drive.

The count on the third scheduled day was much higher at 4,936 (48 per cent). Delhi recorded 145 fresh COVID-19 cases and two new fatalities on Tuesday, even as the positivity rate stood at 0.25 per cent, authorities said. With this the toll from coronavirus infection had grown to 10,903.