India's COVID vaccine drive reaches 25 lakh beneficiaries; 6 states under 20% turnout

Union Health Ministry said on Thursday that at least 25,07,556 beneficiaries have been vaccinated for COVID-19 till 2 pm all over India. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan informed that re is an increase in number of vaccination sessions per day and also mentioned that said India was fastest to reach first 1 million vaccinations. He said, "On January 16 when vaccination session started, 3,374 sessions were organized which has increased to 7,764 sessions on January 26. By January 16, over two lakh beneficiaries were vaccinated, but today, number of beneficiaries has crossed 25 lakhs."

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COVID-19 cases declining 

Bhushan furr stated that re are currently 1,75,000 active cases in country. "Number of active cases are declining, re are 1,75,000 active cases in country as of w - a stey and declining trend is being exhibited. Two states still have 40,000 or more active cases - Kerala with 72,000 active cases and Maharashtra with 44,000 active cases," he said. 

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Low turut for vaccination 

As per reports, nearly six states have less than 20% of ir healthcare workers who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 as of w. Or than national capital Delhi,  states with low coronavirus vaccination rates till w are Jharkhand, Tamil Nu, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra.

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On January 16,  Prime Minister Narendra Modi h launched pan-India rollout of COVID-19 vaccination drive through video conferencing. He said that a vaccination drive on such scale and scope has never been conducted in history. "rmally, it takes many years to make a vaccine but in such a short span of time, t one, but two 'Me in India' vaccines are rey. Meanwhile, work on or vaccines is progressing at a fast pace. This is a living example of India's capability and talent. India's vaccination programme is based on a very important principle that those who are in need of vaccine will get vaccinated first. Our doctors, nurses, medical & paramedical staff, sanitation workers in hospitals - be it private or hospital are entitled to get vaccinated. This will be done on priority," Prime Minister h said.

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drug regulatory body of India has currently approved two vaccines. Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) has developed Covishield vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University while Covaxin has been developed by Hyderab's Bharat Biotech in collaboration with Indian Medical Council of research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology.

(With ANI Inputs)