Over 4.2 Crore COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Still Available With States And UTs, 1.51 Crore More Shots In Pipeline: Centre

After achieving a landmark milestone of administering over 1 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses in a single-day on Friday (27 August), the Centre on Saturday (28 August) informed that over 60.25 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have been supplied to states and union territories so far through government channel, and 1.51 crore more shots are in the pipeline.

It further added that 4.2 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states, union territories (UTs) and private hospitals to be administered, and further one crore more shots are in the pipeline.

With the administration of 1,03,35,290 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has surpassed the cumulative figure of 62.29 crore (62,29,89,134), the Health Ministry said.

It should be noted that the 62.29 crore vaccination mark includes vaccine doses administered both through government and private facilities.

In a statement, the Health Ministry said that the Centre has so far provided more than 60.25 crore (60,25,95,250) vaccine doses have been provided to States and UTs so far through Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category.

Furthermore, over 1.51 crore (1,51,58,650) COVID-19 vaccine doses are in the pipeline, the ministry said.

According to the ministry, under the new phase of the universalisation of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, implementation of which started from 21 June, every month 75 per cent of the total vaccine doses being produced by the manufacturers would be procured by the Centre and will be supplied free of cost to states and UTs.

The ministry further said that the government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country.

"The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to states and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain," the ministry said.