167 deaths reported as AEFI after second Covid vaccine dose: Govt

Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar on Friday informed the Lok Sabha that 167 deaths have been reported as Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) after the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the country.

The highest number of 43 fatalities has been reported as AEFI from Kerala, followed by 15 from Maharashtra, 14 from West Bengal and 12 each from Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, according to data provided by the minister in response to a written question.

Further, Pawar said 1,53,26,714 precaution doses have been administered to eligible beneficiaries, of which 37,00,573 doses went to healthcare workers, 48,84,424 doses to frontline workers and 67,41,717 doses to people aged 60 years and above having comorbidities.

Adequate COVID-19 vaccine doses have been made available to states and union territories to vaccinate all eligible beneficiaries with the first, second and the precaution dose as on February 8, 2022, Pawar said in the reply.

The administration of precaution doses to healthcare workers, frontline workers and persons aged 60 years and above has started under the National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme from January 10.