India's coronavirus vaccination coverage crosses 1.62 billion mark

India's cumulative COVID-19 vaccination has crossed 162 crore mark, said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday.

As per data on CoWIN portal at 1.53 pm, 1,62,07,04,375 vaccine doses have been administered so far to eligible beneficiaries. Of these, 92,94,16,411 first doses, 68,35,33,256 second doses and 77,54,708 precaution doses have been inoculated to people in the country.

In the age group 15-18 years, the vaccination corverage has crossed 4.17 crore.

India commenced its nationwide COVID vaccination drive on January 16, 2021.

Starting initially by inoculating vaccines to healthcare workers, it was then expanded to frontline workers, followed by people above 60 years of age and those above 45 years with comorbidities on March 1 last year. Later it was also expanded to all above 45 years of age on April 1, 2021 and then those above 18 years of age on May 1, 2021.

The vaccination drive for those between the age group 15-18 was started on January 3, 2022 and for administering the precautionary doses to the healthcare workers, frontline workers and sixty plus individuals then commenced on January 10 this year.