10.9 million doses per day will need to be administered to meet the December target (File)
New Delhi:
India has so far administered more than 60 crore doses of the anti-coronavirus, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted today. India is now only behind China in the number of doses administered to date, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins. At the current vaccination rate, 32% of the population will be vaccinated by the end of the year.
“Under PM @NarendraModi ji’s #SabkoVaccineMuftVaccine initiative, India has crossed the 60 crore vaccination limit. Congratulations to all!” Mr Mandaviya tweeted.
Under PM @NarendraModi jis #SabkoVaccineMuftVaccine Initiative, India crossed the 60 crore vaccination limit. Congratulations everyone!
प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी जी के ‘सबको वैक्सीन, मुफ़्त वैक्सीन’ अभियान से भारत ने 60 करोड़ कोरोना टीकाकरण का आँकड़ा पार किया। ️ pic.twitter.com/VkjlyJbeNk
— Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) August 25, 2021
India will need to fully vaccinate 60% of the population by December 2021 to prevent a third wave of the pandemic. Across the country, 10.9 million doses per day will need to be administered to meet the December target. In the past week, however, only 4.8 million doses were administered per day on average.
A new study conducted by the National Institute of Disaster Management, which falls under the Department of the Interior, predicts an increase in cases as early as October, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.
According to the study, the second most populous country in the world after China could register an unprecedented 600,000 cases of coronavirus per day if the pace of vaccination is not stepped up and the third wave is averted. The number of daily infections could drop to 200,000 if the government implements its 10-million-a-day vaccination plan, the report said, citing a study by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Energy University and Nirma University.
On August 20, the Union’s Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said the Center is fully ready to deal with a potential third wave of coronavirus and a provision of Rs 23,123 has been made for this purpose.
With experts warning that the third wave could affect children more, the Union minister said: “Special emphasis is being placed on strengthening pediatric care as experts fear the third wave will affect children more than others.”
The second wave that swept across the country earlier this year, peaking in April-May, caused a tidal wave of infections and left a trail of devastation. Patients and their families struggled to find beds, medicines, oxygen and ventilators. Crematoria were overwhelmed by the number of fatalities.
India has so far reported more than 3.25 crore coronavirus cases with more than 4.35 lakh related fatalities. 3.17 crore recoveries have left the country with just over 3.22 lakh active cases.
