India's expanding Covid-19 vaccination programme set to achieve new milestones
India has vaccinated over 96 per cent of its adult population with at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and about 84 per cent of people above 15 years of age have received both the doses.
The vaccination, seen as the biggest safeguard against Covid-19, is set to be expanded further to cover children in the 5-12 age group, reports ANI.
India rolled out the world's largest vaccination programme on January 16 last year with priority given to healthcare workers and the frontline workers, people above 50 years with co-morbidities. It was gradually expanded to other age groups. It was opened for people above 45 years on April 1 last year and for those above 18 years on May 1 last year.
A precautionary dose of the Covid-19 vaccine was also rolled out for healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 years and above with comorbidities from January 10 this year. It has now been opened to all adults.
On Tuesday, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted an emergency use authorization (EUA) to Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for the age group of 6-12 years and to Biological E's Corbevax for those aged 5 to 12 years.
It also gave emergency use authorisation to Zydus Cadila's two-dose Covid-19 vaccine for the 12 years and above population.
Covovax, being manufactured by Serum Institute of India, has been granted Emergency Use Authorisation by DCGI for adults and for children above the age of 12.
India's Covid-19 vaccination drive has been largely dependent on indigenous or Made in India vaccines.
Those above 18 years and above have options to take doses as per norms laid by the government. Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, Pune-based Serum Institute of India's Covishield, SputnikV and Zydus Cadila vaccine (ZycovD) have got regulatory approvals and are part of the National Covid Vaccination Programme.
Covaxin is being administered to children in the 15-18 year age group and Corbevax is being given to children in the 12-14 age group.
India's cumulative Covid-19 vaccination coverage exceeded 188.19 crore on Wednesday.
