PM Modi to review COVID-19 vaccination in districts with low coverage on November 3

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host a virtual review meeting with districts with low COVID-19 vaccine coverage on Wednesday at 12 noon, shortly after returning to India from the G20 Summit and COP26. The meeting will include districts with less than 50 per cent coverage of the first dose and low coverage of the second dose of COVID-19 vaccination, according to an official announcement from the Prime Minister's Office.

The Prime Minister will meet with District Magistrates from over 40 districts in Jharkhand, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, and other states with low vaccination coverage. The Chief Ministers of these states will also be present, according to the statement. As per the data on the CoWIN portal, India's COVID-19 vaccine coverage has surpassed 106.88 crore people.

COVID vaccination in India

According to the Union health ministry, over 106.79 crore COVID vaccine doses have been delivered in India, with over 47 lakh shots given on Monday until 7 pm. According to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, 78 per cent of India's eligible population has received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 38% receiving both shots.

"An extraordinary feat of an extraordinary nation! India has administered 1st COVID-19 vaccine dose to 78 per cent of the eligible population and 2nd dose to 38 per cent of the eligible people. Congratulations to all as we rapidly progress on our path to defeat the virus!" Mandaviya had said.

The nationwide immunisation campaign began on January 16, with healthcare personnel being the first to be vaccinated. Frontline staff have been vaccinated since February 2.  The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination began on March 1 for persons over the age of 60 and those aged 45 and up who have certain co-morbid conditions. From April 1, the country began vaccinating all people above the age of 45. From May 1, the government decided to broaden its vaccination campaign by enabling anyone above the age of 18 to be vaccinated. The vaccine programme as a measure to protect the country's most vulnerable populations from COVID-19 is still being assessed and monitored at the highest level, according to the health ministry.

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: PTI/PIB)