According to government data released on Sunday, nearly 1.8 million people aged 18 to 44 have received their first Covid-19 vaccine shot, even as states work to expand their immunization campaigns by obtaining more doses for this age group.
The inoculation numbers have yet to improve, with the central government claiming that once the vaccine supply chain improves in the coming weeks, the vaccination process in this age group will be smoother.
“Our first priority is 45-plus category as it is this population group that runs the maximum risk of developing serious disease. For the rest of the adult population group, the service was opened as part of expanding the coverage to phase-3 level. As supplies (vaccine) get better, more slots will open up,” a central government official said on condition of anonymity.
So far, about 180 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in the country. The Union health ministry said in a statement that “ten states account for 66.78 percent of the cumulative doses given so far in the country.”
The number of new Covid-19 cases has risen dramatically in recent weeks, and the international community has stepped in to assist the Indian government as the country’s health-care delivery system has become overburdened.
According to recent government data, nearly 500,000 Covid-19 positive cases are currently in intensive care units (ICUs) across the country, with over 170,000 people on ventilator support and many more seriously ill patients in need of hospital beds.
Many countries have begun sending vital medical supplies to India in order to assist the country in strengthening its clinical management capacity in order to effectively manage hospitalized Covid-19 patients.
Since April 27, when shipments started arriving, 6,738 oxygen concentrators; 3,856 oxygen cylinders; 16 oxygen generation plants; 4,668 ventilators or Bi PAP machines; and about 300,000 remdesivir vials have either been delivered or dispatched cumulatively.
On Saturday, the government received oxygen concentrators (2,404), antiviral drug remdesivir (25,000 vials), ventilators (218), and testing kits (692,208) from Canada, Thailand, The Netherlands, Austria, Czech Republic, Israel, US, Japan, Malaysia, Gilead, Salesforce and the Indian community in Thailand.
“A dedicated Coordination Cell has been created in the Union Health Ministry to coordinate the receipt and allocation of foreign COVID relief material as grants, aid, and donations. This Cell started functioning on 26th April 2021. A Standard Operating Procedure has been framed and implemented by the Health Ministry since 2nd May 2021,” said the health ministry statement.
The majority of the material is being sent to state tertiary care hospitals, which see the highest number of Covid-19 cases and most severely ill patients.
