Vaccination is a crucial pillar of the five point strategy of Government of India to fight the pandemic, which includes Test, Track, Treat and COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) as the other complementing and equally important containment and management measures. India launched the world’s largest Vaccination Drive on 16th Jan 2021. A Liberalised and Accelerated Phase 3 Strategy of Covid-19 Vaccination will be implemented from 1st May 2021. In its Phase-III, the National Vaccine Strategy aims at liberalised vaccine pricing and scaling up of vaccine coverage. Procurement, eligibility and administration of vaccines have been made flexible as part of the Liberalised vaccination Strategy.
Government of India has so far provided more than 15 crore vaccine doses (15,65,26,140) to States/UTs Free of Cost. Of this, the total consumption including wastages is 14,64,78,983 doses.
More than 1 crore doses (1,00,47,157) are still available with the States/UTs to be administered.
More than 80 Lakh (86,40,000) doses will be received in addition by the States/UTs in the next 3 days.
Recently some media reports quoting some government officials from Maharashtra have pointed out that the vaccines in the State are finished thereby adversely impacting the vaccination drive in the state. It is clarified that the total COVID vaccine doses received by Maharashtra as on 27th April 2021 (at 8 am) are 1,58,62,470. Of this, the total consumption including wastage (0.22%) was 1,49,39,410. Balance of 9,23,060 doses is still available with the state for administration of vaccine doses to the eligible population groups. Furthermore, 3,00,000 doses of COVID vaccine are in the pipeline for delivery in the next three days.
