89 lakh kids below 5 yrs given polio drops across India: Health Ministry

New Delhi: Around 89 lakh children under five years of age, as per provisional data, were given polio drops across the country on Sunday on the occasion of Polio National Immunization Day, also known as 'Polio Ravivar', the Union health ministry said.

The vaccination was done at around 7 lakh booths which were staffed with 12 lakh vaccinators and 1.8 lakh supervisors.

"The booth activity will be followed by house-to-house surveillance (mop-up rounds) over the next two to five days to identify and vaccinate children who missed getting vaccinated at the booths," the ministry said. Vaccination teams have also been deployed at bus terminals, railway stations, airports and ferry crossing to vaccinate children in transit to ensure no child misses the life-saving dose.

All measures have been taken to ensure safety during the times of COVID-19 pandemic by maintaining coronavirus appropriate practices such as preventing overcrowding at booths, maintaining physical distance of two metres, wearing masks, washing hands and administering polio drops in well ventilated settings, the ministry underlined.