Over 43% of 60-plus category receive first dose of Covid vaccine: V K Paul

India has overtaken the US to become the top country in giving the highest number of people at least one dose of Covid vaccines in the world, as of June 3.

With over 174 million first doses administered so far, India has covered over 12.6 per cent of its population. The US, on the other hand, has given at least one dose to more than half its population, according to Our World in Data figures.

“It is reassuring that we are intensifying our vaccine campaign steadily and it will be intensified further in the weeks to come,” V K Paul, member-health NITI Aayog, said in a press briefing on Friday referring to the single-dose achievement of India.

Paul said more than 43 per cent of those in the 60-plus category have received the first dose and more than 37 per cent in the 45-above age group. India is expecting a supply of 2 billion vaccine doses by the end of December. In June, the government is expecting the availability of about 120 million doses.

“We have to take all precautions and buy time to get a larger population covered by vaccination. The situation has improved as a result of our efforts,” Paul said. Daily Covid cases in India have declined almost 68 per cent since the highest reported peak seen on May 6.

Some states have better vaccination coverage in the 60-plus category than the national average such as Tripura (84 per cent) and Rajasthan (81 per cent). Telangana and Punjab have less than 40 per cent coverage.

“More vaccines will be available in the coming weeks and our coverage will improve,” Paul said. He said the indemnity demand of foreign vaccine makers as well the domestic manufacturers are being discussed but no decision has been taken yet on the matter. “We will find a way to bring foreign vaccines in India...We have checked with other nations. Companies such as Pfizer have supplied vaccines to them only after indemnity was given,” Paul said.

The government is also in talks with the World Health Organization to move fast in giving the emergency approval to Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. “The WHO has asked for some data and analysis from the company. We will persuade them to move fast,” Paul said.

According to the ministry data, more than 240 million vaccine doses have been given by the Centre to states free of cost. Of this, the total consumption, including wastages, is over 222.7 million doses. The health ministry estimates that more than 19 million Covid vaccine doses are still available in the states. Paul also said there are around 130-140 million children in the 12 to 18 category that would require a supply of over 260 million doses of vaccine. While Pfizer’s vaccine has been approved by countries including the UK for children in the age group 12 to 15, Paul said Bharat Biotech and Zydus in India, too, are conducting trials for this category. The government is examining this issue.

Delta variant caused 2nd wave

The surge of Covid-19 cases in the country in the last two months shows a correlation with the rise in B.1.617 variant of the SARS-CoV-2, according to INSACOG, a grouping of 10 national laboratories. According to INSACOG, the B.1.1.7 lineage of the virus, which was first identified in the UK is declining in proportion across India in the last one and half month.