These states need to expedite Covid vaccination as quickly as possible

They have not even covered 50% of their senior population with two doses, while only a handful have comfortably covered half of the young populace

Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand have not even crossed the 50 per cent mark in vaccinating their elderly as of December 1, state wise data on age wise vaccinations submitted to the Parliament shows. They also lag severely in vaccinating the young, reaching only the quarter mark as of December 1. 

While the number of doses administered in India had crossed 1.25 billion by that time, this newly released data flags where the pressure points lie among states. Six states have not crossed the half-way mark for vaccinating the 45-60 year olds, while more than 17 states have yet to reach the mark for the youngest among adults, the 18-44 age group. (Northeast states have been clubbed together as the age wise population projections are available for the group and not for individual states).

This underscores the vaccination challenge that India still faces, which will only get bigger once booster shots get authorisation from the regulatory bodies. 

Data gives out a hint or two about vaccination policies in different states. 

For instance, Rajasthan has done well by prioritising the elderly in giving two doses: as much as 87 per cent of its 60+ population was fully vaccinated by December 1. But when it comes to the 18-44 age group, only one-in-three have been fully vaccinated. 

Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have been fast, steady and nearly uniform in vaccinating all age groups fully (two jabs), but with a difference. While Gujarat has prioritised the elderly, Madhya Pradesh has effectively prioritised the younger age groups. 

Tamil Nadu is another interesting case, a state which has probably assigned equal priority to all age groups. Its two-dose based full vaccination coverage lies between 40 and 45 per cent for all the three age groups.

Vaccination in Andhra Pradesh appears skewed across the age groups, with full coverage in the 45-60 age group, followed by four-in-five double jabbed in the elderly, followed by two-in-five in the 18-44 age group. 

Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir have nearly reached the full vaccination status for all adults, with some gap among the youngest of adults.