Union Health Ministry said that 99 percent of the healthcare workers have received the first dose of the vaccine while 84 percent of the eligible healthcare workers have taken the second dose.
The Union health ministry on Thursday said in a press conference that more than half of India's adult population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 16 percent have got both, as the cumulative number of doses administered in the country crossed 66 crores.
In Sikkim, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Himachal Pradesh all the adult population have got at least one dose of vaccine, said Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary.
About ramping up of daily vaccinations, he said 18.38 crore doses were given in August during which 59.29 lakh doses were administered daily. The average daily vaccination in the last seven days of August has been 80.27 lakh.
"That's a huge achievement and would not have been possible without very effective and optimal participation of all healthcare workers, state governments, and Union Territory administrations," Bhushan said.
On both August 27 and 31 more than one crore vaccinations took place. According to data shared at the press conference, the number of vaccine doses administered daily has increased from 19.69 lakh in May to 39.89 lakh in June and further to 43.41 lakh in July.
In Sikkim, 36 percent of the eligible population have been administered the second dose, in Dadra and Nagar Haveli it is 18 percent and in Himachal Pradesh, it's 32 percent.
Besides, in Tripura, Ladakh, Daman, and Diu, the Lakshwadeep, and Mizoram, over 85 percent of the population have been administered the first dose.
Bhushan said that 99 percent of the healthcare workers have received the first dose of the vaccine while 84 percent of the eligible healthcare workers have taken the second dose.
He said 100 percent of the frontline workers have been administered the first dose while 80 percent of them have been given the second dose.
"Besides, 16 percent of India's adult population have been fully vaccinated which means they have received both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine while 54 percent have been administered at least one dose," the Union health secretary said.
NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr. V K Paul urged people who have not got vaccinated yet to take the jabs.
The message of vaccination must be taken to the heartland of India, he said, adding, "No one should be left behind. Vaccine availability is increasing and we must use this opportunity to push back this pandemic."
Paul further underlined that vaccination programs among pregnant women must be accelerated while stating it is being seen that many people have not got vaccinated.
Vaccination is important for pregnant women and their baby otherwise, the risk of complications rises. The more pregnant women can get vaccinated the better, he stressed.
Paul also emphasized the need for taking the second dose. "For complete protection, the second dose is important. The level of protection one gets after the second dose is much higher than the one after the first. The complete guarantee that one gets is after the second dose.
"The government is making its efforts but if your second dose is due please get it because then only you are more protected and it becomes difficult for the virus to transmit through you," he added.
(With agency inputs)
