UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced on Sunday that his government has placed an order for 1 crore doses vaccines just ahead of the Phase 03 vaccination drive which opens for beneficiaries over 18 years of age.
An order of 50 lakh doses each has been placed with both the indigenous vaccine manufacturers in India- Serum Institute of India’s Covishield and Bharat BioTech’s Covaxin.
आगामी 1 मई से होने वाले टीकाकरण के लिए एक करोड़ वैक्सीन का आर्डर भेज दिया गया है।
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) April 25, 2021
50-50 लाख डोज का ऑर्डर दोनों स्वदेशी वैक्सीन निर्माता कंपनियों को दिया गया है।
इसके अतिरिक्त भारत सरकार द्वारा डोज उपलब्ध कराई जाएगी। इस संबंध में व्यापक कार्ययोजना तैयार की जा रही है।
The Chief Minister also informed through his tweet that a comprehensive action plan is being prepared for the vaccination drive and procurement.
The decision comes after the Union Health Ministry announced opening vaccinations for citizens above 18 years of age in Phase 03 of the largest vaccination drive.
Are you 18+?
— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) April 22, 2021
On April 28 register for vaccination against #COVID19 on https://t.co/nvwSy5MXa5#LargestVaccineDrive Phase 3 – begins on May 1#Unite2FightCorona #LargestVaccinationDrive #IndiaFightsCorona @PMOIndia @MoHFW_INDIA pic.twitter.com/YxXswkVjSk
UP the first state to administer over 1 crore doses of vaccine
The state of Uttar Pradesh is the first in India to administer the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to nearly one crore people while the second dose of the vaccine has been given to 6,11,595 people over 62 years of age across the state.
An official statement by the state revealed that over 99,27,150 people, including healthcare and frontline workers and people above the age of 45 years have been inoculated.
Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in the country to inoculate approximately one crore people with Covid-19 vaccine.https://t.co/sBh4UOok5r
— Government of UP (@UPGovt) April 21, 2021
According to a government spokesman, “Vaccination of people aged above 60 and those between 45 and 60 is being conducted at a war-footing across the state in private and district hospitals, and medical colleges.”
Apart from UP, some other states have also placed order for the vaccines, and many others have announced that they will vaccinate people in the age group 18-45 for free. Assam govt has ordered 1 crore doses of Covaxin and 1 crore doses of Covishield from Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India respectively. Andhra Pradesh has also ordered 4.08 crore doses each of Covaxin and Covishield.
Rajasthan delays plan to inoculate population above 18
Meanwhile, the state of Rajasthan has delayed the plans to vaccinate its population from 18 to 45 years of age. The drive which is supposed to commence from May 1, will begin at a later stage in the state.
The Rajasthan government has expressed its inability to present a new date on vaccination for those above 18 years of age, citing non-availability of the vaccine till May 15.
Also Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot recently wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding the Center to bear the expense of free vaccination to be provided to beneficiaries above 18 years of age.