Union Health Minister Releases Postal Stamp To Mark One Year Of Covid Vaccination Drive

Union Health Minister described the vaccination drive as the "most successful in the world" on Sunday.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. (Source: Getty Images)

New Delhi: Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Health Minister, celebrated the one-year anniversary of India's immunisation drive on Sunday by launching a postal stamp on India's achievement in developing an indigenous covid-19 vaccine.

Union Health Minister described the vaccination drive as the "most successful in the world" on Sunday. He also congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the campaign's commencement last year. 

Taking to Twitter, Mandaviya said, "Releasing commemorative postal stamp on India's achievement in developing indigenous Covid-19 vaccine."

Releasing commemorative postal stamp on India's achievement in developing indigenous #COVID19 vaccine. #1YearofVaccineDrive https://t.co/pCA18QfBOc

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) January 16, 2022

"I congratulate all the health workers, scientists and countrymen," he further tweeted in Hindi.

The total Covid-19 immunisation coverage in India has surpassed 156.76 crores. In the previous 24 hours, more than 66 lakh vaccination doses have been provided.

Mansukh Mandaviya also gave a graphical representation of how India's vaccination push began and how it managed to give more than 150 crore shots in a year.

"Have a look at the journey of #1YearOfVaccineDrive, which gives glimpses of the nation's collective fight against #COVID19 under the visionary and inspiring leadership of PM Narendra Modi Ji," he tweeted.

Have a look at the journey of #1YearOfVaccineDrive, that gives glimpses of the nation's collective fight against #COVID19 under the visionary and inspiring leadership of PM @NarendraModi Ji. pic.twitter.com/Hit9Ku8rzS

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) January 16, 2022

On January 16, 2021, a countrywide Covid-19 immunisation campaign began. The next phase of Covid-19 vaccine universalization began on June 21, 2021.

Initially inoculating healthcare personnel with vaccinations, it was subsequently expanded to frontline employees, followed by persons over 60 and those over 45 with comorbidities. Later, it was extended to everyone over the age of 45, and then to anybody over the age of 18.

The vaccination effort for those aged 15 to 18 began on January 3, 2022, and the administration of prophylactic doses to healthcare staff, frontline workers, and more than sixty people began on January 10, this year.

The immunisation campaign has been stepped up with the availability of additional vaccinations, advanced awareness of vaccine availability to states and UTs for improved planning, and simplification of the vaccine supply chain.

Meanwhile, in the previous 24 hours, India recorded 2,71,202 new Covid-19 cases, 314 fatalities, and 1,38,331 recoveries, according to the government.