Covid-19 pandemic: Record daily vax at 8.8 mn, rural India takes the lead

India achieved its highest daily Covid vaccination numbers on August 16, with more than 8.8 million doses being administered across the country, the health ministry said. The vaccination trend shows that demand for jabs is far higher in rural areas as compared to urban, with more than 70 per cent vaccines given in villages on Monday, according to data on the CoWIN dashboard.
 
The last record for the highest daily doses (over 8.4 million) was achieved on June 21, when the new vaccination guideline was launched.
 
Health experts say the demand in urban areas may be plateauing, while rural areas, which have far wider coverage, are seeing an increase. This could be because of greater awareness about vaccination and fears of another wave. The change in vaccine policy that allowed walk-ins for all categories has also played a role in bridging the digital divide and encouraging more people to turn up for vaccination.
 
With more than 559 million jabs given till Tuesday, 45 per cent of all adult Indians have received the first dose and 13 per cent have been fully vaccinated with both doses.
 
The health ministry said the vaccination drive has gathered pace with more vaccines being available, 15 days of advance visibility of vaccine availability to states so that they may plan better, and by streamlining the vaccine supply chain.

The average daily vaccination in May stood at 1.96 million, and it almost doubled to 4.34 million in July. According to the health ministry, the average daily vaccination has so far been the highest this month, with almost 5 million jabs administered per day.
 
Globally, 31.7 per cent of the population has received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, and 23.7 per cent are fully vaccinated, according to Our World in Data. However, in a startling contrast, only 1.3 per cent of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose.
 
Under the revised guidelines for implementing the national Covid vaccination programme, the Centre is procuring 75 per cent of the vaccines produced by manufacturers in India and is giving them free of cost to states based on their target population, their progress in vaccinating people and vaccine wastage. Domestic vaccine manufacturers have the option of providing up to 25 per cent of the vaccines produced in a month directly to private hospitals.
 
With private hospitals not placing enough orders — their reasons being lack of demand, complex procurement procedures, among others — the Centre has taken over their stock. The government has also indicated that it may not be necessary to keep the 25 per cent stock for the private sector.