Covid: Over 33L beneficiaries vaccinated across India so far

New Delhi: With over 4 lakh beneficiaries being vaccinated till 7 pm on the 14th day of nationwide Covid-19 vaccination, the total tally of inoculation has crossed above 33 lakh on Friday.

"The cumulative number of healthcare workers who have been administered the Covid-19 vaccine has crossed 33 lakh on Friday as a total of 33,68,734 beneficiaries were vaccinated through 62,939 sessions, as per the provisional report," the health ministry said, adding total 4,40,681 beneficiaries were vaccinated in a single day through 10,061 sessions till 7 pm on Friday.

Total 213 AEFIs cases have been reported on the fourteenth day of the vaccination drive, the ministry said.

Among the 37 states and UTs, where vaccination drive is going on, Uttar Pradesh has vaccinated highest 4,31,879 beneficiaries till Friday, while Karnataka has administered 3,07,752 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to its healthcare workers and Rajasthan has inoculated 2,73,866 beneficiaries.

In Maharashtra, 2,57,173 healthcare workers have been vaccinated till date followed by Madhya Pradesh (2,22,193), West Bengal (2,20,356), Gujarat (2,16,004), Odisha (2,05,200), Andhra Pradesh (1,77,856) and Telangana (1,57,831), etc.

Meanwhile on Friday, Health Ministry asked all states and union territories to initiate vaccination of frontline workers against COVID-19 from the first week of February.

Vaccination of healthcare providers that began on January 16 to continue simultaneously, the ministry said in a letter to states and union territories (UTs).

In the letter, Health Ministry Additional Secretary Manohar Agnani said the database of frontline workers is being updated by states and UTs in collaboration with the respective line ministries.

As on date, the database of more than 61 lakh frontline workers has been uploaded on Co-WIN portal.

"In this regard, after due consultation with states and UTs, it is advised that the states and UTs shall initiate simultaneous vaccination of frontline workers and healthcare workers from the first week of February," Agnani said.

The letter mentions that the required doses of both vaccines -- Covishield and Covaxin -- have been allocated to the states and UTs and further augmentation will be made through subsequent releases.

The states and UTs should ensure that sessions must be created for both the type of vaccines in proportion to the release of vaccines to the state, wherever applicable, the letter said.

"I request you to kindly direct the concerned officials to initiate requisite planning and review for initiating vaccination of frontline workers along with healthcare workers from the first week of February, 2021. Your unstinted support is pre-requisite to achieve the desired acceleration and impact of COVID-19 vaccine drive," the letter stated.