Over 10.357 crore COVID vaccine doses available with states, UTs: Centre

New Delhi: Over 10.35 crore balance and unutilized COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered, informed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday.

The ministry said more than 193.53 crore (1,93,53,58,865) vaccine doses have been provided to States and UTs so far through Govt. of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category.

"More than10.35 Cr (10,35,68,740) balance and unutilized COVID Vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs to be administered," it said.

The Central Government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country. The nationwide COVID 19 vaccination started on January 16, 2021.

The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from June 21, 2021. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them COVID Vaccines free of cost.

In the new phase of the universalization of the COVID19 vaccination drive, the Central Government will procure and supply (free of cost) 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to States and UTs.

Meanwhile, India logged 18,257 fresh infections in the last 24 hours.
The country had reported 18,840 fresh COVID-19 cases on Saturday.
Active cases now stand at 1,28,690 constituting 0.30 per cent of the country's total positive cases. The daily positivity rate of 4.22 per cent.

As many as 14,553 COVID patients recovered in the last 24 hours taking the total number of recoveries from the disease since the beginning of the pandemic to 4,29,68,533. The recovery rate is 98.50 per cent.

Under the nationwide vaccination drive, 10,21,164 COVID vaccines were administered in the last 24 hours. The cumulative vaccine doses jabbed to date are 1,98,76,59,299. (ANI)