At least 1.4 crore people are due for the booster shot in the 45-59 age group, while 3.3 crore are yet to take the booster shot in the 18-44 age group. (Reuters Photo/File) Fewer than 50 lakh persons above 18 years in Maharashtra have taken Covid booster shots, according to the state Health department. However, there has been a slight increase in the demand for booster shots in the wake of another Covid wave in China and other countries, say Maharashtra Health department officials.
On an average, nearly 10,000 doses are being administered daily now, said Dr Sachin Desai, Maharashtra immunisation officer. Over four crore persons in the age group of 18-44 have got both shots of the Covid-19 vaccine in the last two years, since vaccination commenced in January 2021, according to the Maharashtra Health department data. In the 18-44 age group, nearly 30 lakh have taken the booster dose while over 15 lakh in the 45-59 age group have taken the booster shot till January 2 this year.
At least 1.4 crore are due for the booster shot in the 45-59 age group while 3.3 crore are yet to take the booster shot in the 18-44 age group. According to Health department data, at least 30 per cent of the population in the age group of 60 and above have taken their booster doses. Of the target 1 crore population in this age group, around 30.86 lakh have got their precaution doses.
Till date, Maharashtra has reported 81.36 lakh cases of Covid-19 and 1.48 lakh deaths due to the infection. India has reported 4.47 crore Covid-19 infections and 5.31 lakh deaths.
Data from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as on January 5 this year, shows that 220.12 crore total vaccine doses (including 95.13 crore second doses and 22.42 crore precaution doses) have been administered so far across India.
According to the World Health Organisation, as on January 1, 2023, over 656 million confirmed cases and over 6.6 million deaths due to Covid-19 have been reported globally.
Outside of China, one of the Omicron sub-variants originally detected in October 2022 is XBB.1.5, a recombinant of two BA.2 sub-lineages. According to the WHO statement, the variant has been on the increase in the US and some countries in Europe.