'4 cr eligible adults have not taken even single dose of Covid vaccine'

New Delhi: An estimated 4 crore eligible beneficiaries have not taken even a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine as on July 18, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.

A total of 1,78,38,52,566 vaccine doses (97.34 per cent) have been administered free of cost in Government Covid Vaccination Centres (CVCs) till July 18, she said in a written reply.

"As on 18th July, an estimated 4 crore eligible beneficiaries have not taken even a single dose of Covid vaccine," she said in response to a question on the number and percentage of people who have not taken even a single dose.

She also informed the Lok Sabha that approximately 10 to 20 per cent of people who develop COVID-19 experience a variety of mid- and long-term effects after they recover from their initial illness.

The Union health ministry had on October 21, 2021 issued National Comprehensive Guidelines for Management of Post-Covid Sequelae, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply.

"According to the World Health Organisation, most people who develop coronavirus fully recover, but current global evidence suggests that approximately 10 per cent-20 per cent of people experience a variety of mid- and long-term effects after they recover from their initial illness," Pawar said in her reply.

The symptoms of long Covid may include fatigue, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, memory, concentration or sleep problems, persistent cough, chest pain, difficulty in speaking, muscle aches, loss of smell or taste, depression or anxiety and fever.

The National Comprehensive Guidelines for Management of Post-Covid Sequelae contains detailed guidance for doctors on managing post-COVID complications affecting cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, nephrological, neurological and respiratory systems and rehabilitation from such complications, Pawar stated.

Meanwhile, Centre has asked all its departments to organise Covid vaccination camps at the workplaces for providing free precaution doses of the vaccine to the eligible employees and their family members.

In an order, the Personnel Ministry asked all the departments to enumerate the number of eligible employees and their family members to be vaccinated by precaution dose, separately for both types of vaccines — Covishield and Covaxin — so as to ensure optimum utilisation of resources. A special 75-day drive to administer precaution doses to all aged 18 years and above at government vaccination centres began from July 15.

The drive 'COVID Vaccination Amrit Mahotsava' aimed at boosting the uptake of Covid precaution doses among eligible population, is being held as part of the government's Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India's Independence.

According to the health ministry officials, 98 per cent of India's adult population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 90 per cent have been fully vaccinated.

India saw a single day rise of 21,880 Coronavirus infections taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,38,47,065, while the active cases rose to 1,49,482, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

The death toll climbed to 5,25,930 with 60 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.34 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.46 per cent, the ministry said.

An increase of 601 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 4.42 per cent while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 4.51 per cent, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,31,71,653 and the case fatality rate was 1.20 per cent.

According to the ministry, 201.30 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.