The cumulative Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 178.80 crore on Saturday, the Union Health Ministry said. On Saturday, more than 23 lakh (23,23,288) vaccine doses have been administered till 7 pm. The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of final reports for the day by late night, it said.

The ministry said more than 2.06 crore (2,06,08,011) precaution doses have been administered so far to the identified categories of beneficiaries — healthcare workers, frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities. Cumulatively, 55,25,28,971 first doses and 44,93,76,379 second doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered to individuals in the 18-44 age group across states and union territories since the start of Phase-3 of the vaccination drive, according to the ministry’s data.

In the 15-18 age group, 5,53,65,272 first doses and 3,07,53,607 second doses have been administered. India’s Covid-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 1,78,80,37,981 on Saturday, it said.

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2. The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions. The country launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1.

The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to be inoculated from May 1. The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced from January 3 for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years.

India began administering precaution dose of Covid-19 vaccine to healthcare workers, frontline workers, including personnel deployed for election duty, and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10 with the country witnessing a spike in coronavirus infections fuelled by its Omicron variant.