BackCOVID-19 vaccine: India inoculates 2.07 lakh people on Day 1, highest in world
India commenced the 'world's largest COVID-19 vaccination drive' on 16 JanuaryOn Sunday, 17,072 beneficiaries were vaccinated across the country
PremiumOver 2 lakh people were vaccinated on the first day of COVID-19 inoculation drive in India, the central government said on Sunday. India commenced the "world's largest COVID-19 vaccination drive" on 16 January. The healthcare workers and frontline workers were the first group to receive the much-awaited COVID-19 vaccine.
"2,07,229 people were vaccinated on day one—the highest day one vaccination number in the world," Manohar Agnani, additional secretary, ministry of health and family welfare during the briefing. "This is much higher than many other countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and France," he added.
A total of 2,24,301 beneficiaries were inoculated with COVID-19 vaccine so far, the ministry said. On Sunday, 17,072 beneficiaries were vaccinated across the country. "Today being Sunday, only six states conducted vaccination drive and in 553 sessions a total of 17,072 beneficiaries were vaccinated," Agnani said.
The vaccination drive was held in six states on Sunday — Andhra Pradesh (308 sessions), Arunachal Pradesh (14 sessions), Karnataka (64 sessions), Kerala (one session), Manipur (one session) and Tamil Nadu (165 sessions), he said.
At least 447 cases of adverse events following immunisation were reported so far, according to the data by the health ministry. "A total of 447 AEFI have been reported on January 16 and 17, out of which only three required hospitalisation. Most of the AEFI reported so far are minor like fever, headache, nausea," he said.
"That of the three people hospitalised post vaccination, two have been discharged from the Northern Railway Hospital and AIIMS in Delhi and one is under observation in AIIMS Rishikesh and is doing fine," the additional secretary mentioned.
He further mentioned an adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) is any unexpected medical occurrence which follows immunisation and it may or may not be related to the vaccine or vaccination process.
Noting that only a few AEFI cases may require hospitalisation which are classified under serious AEFI, Agnani said protocols are in place for reporting, immediate case management at vaccination session site, transportation and hospitalisation and further care of such cases.
"Protocols are also in place for systematic investigation and causality assessment of serious AEFI (cases)," he said.
A meeting was held with all states and union territories on Sunday to review the progress of the drive, identify bottlenecks and plan corrective actions, he mentioned.
India has granted emergency use authorisation (EUA) to two COVID-19 vaccines — Pune-based Serum Institute of India’s Covishield and Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Ltd’s Covaxin which are being used in the government’s vaccination drive.
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