COVID Vaccination: Nearly 4 Crore Eligible Beneficiaries Yet To Take Their First Jab, Reveals Centre

A total of 1,78,38,52,566 vaccine doses (97.34 per cent) have been administered free of cost in Government Covid Vaccination Centres (CVCs) till July 18, Centre informed the Lok Sabha.

Representational Image ( Image Source :PTI )

New Delhi: Four crore people who are eligible to receive Covid-19 vaccination have still not received even a single dose as on July 18, Minister of State for Health Bharati Praveen Pawar informed the Lok Sabha on Friday, reported news agency PTI. In a written reply, the minister informed that a total of 1,78,38,52,566 vaccine doses (97.34 per cent) have been administered free of cost in Government Covid Vaccination Centres (CVCs) till July 18, the report stated. 

"As on 18th July, an estimated 4 crore eligible beneficiaries have not taken even a single dose of Covid vaccine," she said in response to a question on the number and percentage of people who have not taken even a single dose.

Precaution doses or the booster shot were available to healthcare workers, frontline workers, and all beneficiaries above 60 years of age for free from March 16 this year in government CVCs  and for the 18-59 years age group from April 10  in private CVCs.

A special 75-day drive to administer precaution doses to all aged 18 years  and above at government vaccination centres began from July 15.

As per health ministry officials, 98 per cent of India’s adult population has received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 90 per cent have been fully vaccinated. 

On Saturday, 21,411 fresh cases of Covid-19 were reported in the country with 67 people succumbing to the infection while 4,31,92,379 people recuperated from the viral disease. 

READ HERE: Coronavirus Update: India Logs 21,411 COVID-19 Cases, 67 Deaths In 24 Hours