A total of 10,93,954 vaccine doses were given till 7 pm on Thursday, the forty-eighth day of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive. The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated and vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) starting from February 2. The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from March for those above 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions. 

A total of 1,77,11,287 vaccine doses have been given, as per the provisional report till Thursday 7 pm. These include 68,38,077 healthcare workers, who have taken the first dose and 30,82,942 healthcare workers who have taken the second dose, 60,22,136 frontline workers (first dose), 54,177 FLWs (second dose), 14,95,016 beneficiaries over 60 years and 2,18,939 individuals aged 45 and above with specific comorbidities, the ministry said. “Out of which, 8,34,141 beneficiaries were vaccinated for first dose and 2,59,813 HCWs and FLWs received second dose of vaccine as per the provisional report,” the ministry said, adding that final reports would be completed for the day by late night. 

A total of 8,34,141 beneficiaries include 4,93,999 people aged over 60 years and 75,147 individuals aged between 45-60 with specified comorbidities. The milestone comes amid a surge in cases in Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Karnataka, accounting for 85.51 per cent of fresh cases, according to the Union Health Ministry.