On Friday, the Union Health Ministry reported that more than 36.7 lakh vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours. This has been marked as the highest single-day coverage to date.
According to the ministry's report, 33,65,597 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 51,215 sessions for the first dose and 3,05,645 beneficiaries received the second dose of vaccine.
This brings the total count of vaccines administered to more than 6.87 crores (6,87,89,138) doses. This has been achieved through 11,37,456 sessions, as per the report on Friday.
The doses have been given to 83,06,269 healthcare workers (1st dose), 52,84,564 HCWs (2nd dose), 93,53,021 frontline workers (1st dose) and 40,97,634 FLWs (2nd Dose), 97,83,615(1st Dose) and 39,401 (2nd dose) beneficiaries aged more than 45 years with specific co-morbidities and 3,17,05,893 (1st Dose) and 2,18,741 (2nd dose) beneficiaries aged more than 60 years, said the report.
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala account for 59.58 per cent of the total doses administered to date.
But considering the rising number of cases in the states of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh there is an immediate need for measures to control the spread.
Currently, India's in the last 24-hours alone recorded 93,249 cases. Whereas, Maharashtra has alone recorded more than 1.40 lakh cases in the last three days. The cases are rising and the virus is now being called a super spreader.
"Maharashtra alone accounts for nearly 60 per cent (59.84 per cent) of the total active caseload of the country," said the ministry.
Today, Prime Minister Modi is chairing a high-level meeting to review the situation in the country. All senior officers including Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Principal Secretary to PM P.K. Mishra, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, and Vinod Paul, NITI Aayog member and chairman of government's empowered group on Covid management are participating in the meeting.
Most state governments have put restrictions in place. But if the country will go into another phase of lockdown, is a question left unanswered.
Surprisingly on April 1, the third phase of the vaccination drive began under which anyone 45 or older is allowed to get a shot.
@MyGovIndia a government-managed platform for citizen engagement handle recently released a tweet suggesting Ayurvedic immunity-boosting ways for self-care during the Covid-19 crisis. The tweet suggests various way to stay protected during the case rise.
The handle also released measures in consultation with the National Clinical Management Protocol based on Ayurveda for symptomatic management of Mild COVID-19 cases.
The Ministry of Health also released a video to bust myths related to the Covid-19 vaccine shortage. Dr N.K. Arora addresses the citizens of India and clarifies doubts about vaccine shortage. He is the chief of the Operations Research Group of the National Task Force.
After a lull for the last few months, when the Covid-19 cases seemed to be under control, the Government of India has now ramped up efforts to better manage the resurgence of cases.