Gujarat vaccinates 90% of eligible population with first dose of Covid vax

Gujarat has vaccinated 90 per cent of its eligible population with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 47 per cent beneficiaries are completely vaccinated against the deadly disease, state Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters in Gandhinagar, Patel congratulated the countrymen, as India achieved the milestone of administered 100 crore vaccine doses "under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi".

As per the official figures, Gujarat has around 4.93 crore people above the age of 18, who are eligible to take the vaccine against coronavirus.

Till 10 am, nearly 4.41 crore people, which comes to around 90 per cent, have received their first dose, while 2.35 crore have taken their second dose as well, the minister said.

"At least 90 per cent of the eligible population has been given the first dose till today, while nearly 47 per cent, that is 2.32 crore, have been given the second dose. I urge people to come forward, so that we are able to vaccinate 100 per cent of the population with the first dose," Patel said.

The Surat, Junagadh and Gandhinagar municipal corporations along with Ahmedabad, Junagadh, Mahisagar and Tapi districts have achieved 100 per cent coverage of the first dose, he said.

Apart from this, around 15,500 villages have also achieved this milestone in Gujarat so far, he added.

"We are planning to achieve 100 per cent first dose coverage in the next 15 days in Gujarat. For that, we will ask government hospitals and health centres to check if incoming patients are vaccinated or not. We have also asked heads of government offices to check and ensure that all their entire staff is vaccinated," Patel said.

To ensure that people also take their second dose in time, the minister said his department will launch a drive using the available data to trace and track people who have already taken the first dose.

People need not worry about the availability of vaccines, as the Gujarat government has nearly 40 lakh doses of the vaccine, Patel added.