70% adults fully vaccinated against Covid-19: Mandaviya at stamp launch

Seventy per cent of India's adults have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 while 93 per cent received the first jab, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya while launching a postage stamp on indigenously developed vaccine Coviaxin to mark one year of the inoculation drive.

The drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase.

Addressing the commemorative postage stamp release event through a video link, Mandaviya said it is a proud moment for Indians and the entire world is amazed by the country's Covid inoculation drive.

"India has been able to achieve the milestone of administering over 156 crore doses despite such a huge population and diversity," he said.

"On the occasion of completion of one year of the Covid vaccination drive, a postage stamp has been released on the vaccine indigenously developed jointly by the ICMR and Bharat Biotech, realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji's dream of self-reliant India." the minister said.

He also congratulated all scientists on the occasion.

"Our prime minister encouraged scientists to carry out research and develop an indigenous Covid vaccine and held discussions with vaccine manufacturing companies and offered them support.

"There was no dearth of manpower or brainpower. What was needed was the ability to identify the potential in the country for coming up with vaccines," he said.