New Delhi: The Union health ministry on Thursday said in a press conference that more than half of India's adult population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 16 percent have got both, as the cumulative number of doses administered in the country crossed 67 crores.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said at a press conference said that all the adult population from states and UTs like Sikkim, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Himachal Pradesh have got at least one dose of vaccine.
In Sikkim, 36 per cent of the eligible population have been administered the second dose, in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, it is 18 per cent, and in Himachal Pradesh, it's 32 per cent.
Besides, in Tripura, Ladakh, Daman and Diu, the Lakshwadeep and Mizoram, over 85 per cent of the population have been administered the first dose.
About ramping up of daily vaccinations, he said 18.38 crore doses were given in August during which 59.29 lakh doses were administered daily. The average daily vaccination in the last seven days of August has been 80.27 lakh.
On both August 27 and 31 more than one crore vaccinations took place.
According to data shared at the press conference, the number of vaccine doses administered daily has increased from 19.69 lakh in May to 39.89 lakh in June and further to 43.41 lakh in July.
Mr. Bhushan said that 99 per cent of the healthcare workers have received the first dose of vaccine while 84 per cent of the eligible healthcare workers have taken the second dose.
He said 100 per cent of the frontline workers have been administered the first dose while 80 per cent of them have been given the second dose.
"Besides, 16 per cent of India's adult population have been fully vaccinated which means they have received both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine while 54 per cent have been administered at least one dose," the Union Health Secretary said.
NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr. VK Paul urged people who have not got vaccinated yet to take the jabs.
In view of the upcoming festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Eid, Navratri, Dr. Paul urged people to celebrate at home with family and not venture out unnecessarily.
Dr. Paul further underlined that vaccination programmes among pregnant women must be accelerated while stating it is being seen that many people have not gotten vaccinated yet.
Dr. Paul also emphasised the need for taking the second dose: "For complete protection, the second dose is important. The level of protection one gets after the second dose is much higher than the one after the first. The complete guarantee that one gets is after the second dose."