India Soldiers On As Country Completes One Year Of COVID-19 Vaccination Drive

India reached an incredible milestone in its battle against COVID-19. Today, January 16, marks one year since the vaccinations were rolled out to healthcare and frontline workers. A 34-year-old sanitation worker named Manish Kumar got the ball rolling by getting the first jab at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on this day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the country on this momentous occasion. "I salute every individual who is associated with the vaccination drive. Our vaccination programme has added great strength to the fight against COVID-19, and it has led to saving lives and, thus, protecting livelihoods," tweeted the PM. The government will also release a postage stamp today afternoon to mark this historic occasion.

Battered, Bruised But Soldiering On

The coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on a global level. Over one year, several countries have witnessed a record number of infections and casualties, with India on the list.

While 2020 was a year to understand COVID-19, 2021 made us more equipped to fight it. Starting from January 16, the first vaccination doses were administered to all healthcare and frontline workers in the country. From doctors and nurses to sanitation and delivery workers, the much-needed jab was given to keep them protected during these challenging times.

India has administered a total of 156.76 crore vaccinations, making it the fastest vaccination drive in the world, with 93% of the 18+ population jabbed with the first dose. Twelve states and Union Territories achieved 100% of first dose coverage, and around seven states and UTs have gained 95% of both amounts administered. According to The Times of India, around 65 crore adult beneficiaries have been given both doses. 76 crore doses have been administered to women, whereas 3.69 lakh doses were given to the transgender community.

The vaccination drive is bridging the accessibility gap between urban and rural areas. The government data shows that over 99 crore doses are given at the rural vaccination centres, and 11 crore tribal beneficiaries are also vaccinated. In several remote districts, health workers travelled by foot to administer the doses themselves.

Vaccination Status

On January 3, beneficiaries aged between 15 and 18 were given the first dose, and over three crore children were administered the first dose. In light of the Omicron variant, the healthcare and frontline workers were given the precautionary booster dose where over 43 lakh people have been vaccinated with the same.

The ongoing vaccination drive has achieved success in such a short amount of time. Fighting scepticism and politics, people are getting the necessary jab to keep themselves protected from the infectious virus. With India staring towards a possible third wave, getting inoculated has become all the more imperative in the upcoming months.

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