India crosses a Landmark Milestone with more than 13 Cr Vaccine doses administered

New Delhi: India has scaled another peak in its effort to contain the COVID-19 virus with the administration of more than 13 Cr vaccines to its citizens. The cumulative number of COVID19 vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 13,00,27,370 as per the 9 pm provisional report today. More than 28.98 lakh vaccine doses administered till 9 pm today.

Total 71,051 COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs) were operational, marking a rise of more than 26,051 operational Vaccination Centres (45,000 CVCs on an average are functional on any given day). Workplace vaccinations have also enabled such a high turnout of beneficiaries.

These include 92,01,040 Healthcare Workers (HCWs) who have taken the 1st dose and 58,16,538 HCWs who have taken the 2nd dose, 1,15,59,218 Frontline Workers (FLWs) (1^st dose), 58,52,669 FLWs (2^nd dose), 4,34,85,752 for over 45 years old to 60 years old (1^st Dose), 14,90,460 for over 45 years old to 60 years old (2^nd dose), 4,73,31,326 for above 60 years (1^st Dose) and 52,90,367 for above 60 years (2^nd Dose).

Total 28,98,257 vaccine doses were given till 9 pm today, the Ninety Fifth day of nationwide COVID19 vaccination. Out of which 19,18,155 beneficiaries were vaccinated for 1st dose and 9,80,102 beneficiaries received 2nd dose of the vaccine as per the provisional report. Final reports would be completed for the day by late tonight.

The Union Health Secretary and Union  Secretary (Pharmaceuticals) held a Video Conference meeting with States and UTs today on various issues connected with medicines used for treatment of COVID19 patients in hospital setting.

The Secretary Pharmaceuticals made a presentation giving present status of Remdesivir. She informed that the drug has been approved as investigational therapy in patients who are on oxygen with moderate/ severe Covid 19 disease. Due to recent surge in Covid 19 cases, the demand for the drug also grown rapidly with reported shortages. Considering the same, DoP, NPPA along with CDSCO have undertaken an exercise to work out Remdesivir injection allocation to States based on an objective criteria.

Since the clinical guidance provides that remdesivir should be used in cases where oxygen is also required, the allocation is based on the oxygen allocation carried out by the Empowered Group-2 to various states. This schedule for allocation for the period of 10 days starting from 21st April 2021 has been worked out. The position will be reviewed after a few days. For the states, for which oxygen allocation was not made, Remdesivir allocation  will also be made shortly. All states were requested to ensure judicious use of Remdesivir as per Clinical Management Protocol for COVID 19, conduct campaign to address any possible black marketing or hoarding of drugs used in Covid treatment and also facilitate the smooth and unimpeded movement of drugs including inter-state supplies.