New Delhi: Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan are among the bigger states that have vaccinated the highest proportion of their population with at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccines.
While Gujarat has vaccinated 9.7 per cent of its population, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan have vaccinated 8.8 per cent and 7.35 per cent of the population, respectively, Health Ministry data showed. Chhattisgarh is now one of the three worst Covid-hit states in the country.
Since these figures are based on an analysis of vaccine doses administered vis-a-vis the population of the states, smaller states/UTs have fared much better.
Thus, Ladakh, which has vaccinated 19.70 per cent of its population with at least one dose, leads the chart, followed by Tripura at 15.74 per cent and Sikkim at 9.76 per cent.
In Kerala, 6.55 per cent of the population has received at least one dose — the state ranks number 10 on the list. In Karnataka, 5.71 per cent has received at least one dose — the state ranks 14th in the list.
Punjab, which has been grappling with a higher than national average Covid mortality rate, has managed to vaccinate just 3.52 per cent of its population with at least one dose of the vaccine. It ranks 29th among states.
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UP, Bihar fared worst
At the bottom of the chart is Uttar Pradesh, which has managed to vaccinate 2.29 per cent of its population with at least one dose, followed by Bihar that has managed 2.31 per cent.
6 April #COVID19 snapshot:
?115312 new cases, 630 deaths & 12.1L tests y'day.
?7-day average TPR: 8.5%
?8.4L active cases & growing at 6.2%
?Total: 12.8M cases, 166208 deaths
?8.7 crore vaccination doses given pic.twitter.com/fhCgLlbMpp
— Rijo M John, PhD (@RijoMJohn) April 7, 2021
Vaccinations in India started on 16 January, but it opened up for general people (senior citizens and those aged above 45 years with comorbidities) only on 1 March. Since 1 April, vaccinations have also been opened for all aged above 45 years.
Over 43 lakh vaccine doses have been administered in the last 24 hours, taking India’s total to 83,110,926 doses.
Centre lauds Maharashtra on vaccinations
Maharashtra may be the state worst hit by Covid-19, but in terms of the number of vaccine doses administered, it is ahead of everyone.
The state has so far administered first doses of the vaccine to 81,27,248 people and has fully vaccinated 8,29,042 people.
Gujarat and Rajasthan stood second and third, respectively. Gujarat administered first doses to 76,89,507 people and has fully vaccinated 8,71,804 people, while Rajasthan has fully vaccinated 8,98,724 people and administered the first dose to 72,99,305 people.
Uttar Pradesh, meanwhile, has emerged as the leader in terms of the number of fully vaccinated people. It has so far fully vaccinated 11,27,282 people.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said Tuesday “some states are doing very good work in Covid vaccinations”.
“Maharashtra is doing good work with more than 81 lakh people having got the first shot and over eight lakh people having got the second shot. Gujarat is doing good work where more than 76 lakh people got the first dose and over 8 lakh got the second…” he added.
Bhushan also made it very clear, extensively, using examples from around the world that there is no pressing need to open up vaccinations for all.
“You have to understand what your goal is — it is to reduce deaths and to make your healthcare system safe. The idea is to give vaccines to those that need them, not to those that want them,” he said.
Northeastern states and Goa lag in full vaccinations
UP, which has the most number of fully vaccinated people, is followed by Rajasthan with 8,98,724 and Gujarat with 8,71,804 people.
Among the bottom five states are four states from the Northeast and Goa. However, in terms of percentage of population fully vaccinated, all of them are actually better off than the top five states.
With 12,910 people fully vaccinated, Sikkim is at the bottom of the table, but the state has vaccinated 2.15 per cent of its population, followed by Mizoram, which has fully vaccinated 1.44 per cent of its population — that is 15,731 people.
Nagaland has fully vaccinated 23,533 people, which is 1.18 per cent of its population.
Goa has fully vaccinated 23,387 people, which is 1.6 per cent of its population and Arunachal Pradesh has vaccinated 24,181 people, which is 1.7 per cent of its population.
(Edited by Debalina Dey)
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