India vaccinates over 41 lakh children on day 1; PM Modi, Mansukh Mandaviya hail feat

By Team Newsable | First Published Jan 4, 2022, 9:06 AM IST

The highest number of youngsters — over 7.7 lakh — turned up for vaccination in Madhya Pradesh, followed by Gujarat with a footfall of over 5.6 lakh, Andhra Pradesh (4.9 lakh), Karnataka (4.1 lakh) and Rajasthan (3.6 lakh). Among bigger states, Uttar Pradesh administered only 1.7 lakh doses.

The launch of Covid vaccination for adolescents drew an enthusiastic response, as over 41 lakh children received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccines on Monday, the first day of the vaccination drive for those in the age group of 15-18 years, according to provisional data.

With this, India’s cumulative Covid vaccine doses administered tally crossed 146.61 crore with more than 98 lakh shots being administered on Monday till 10.15 pm.

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Among other major states, Bihar vaccinated 1.7 lakh adolescents, Maharashtra 1.8 lakh, Tamil Nadu 1.9 lakh and West Bengal around 1 lakh on the first day of the rollout of the programme. In Delhi, 21,010 teens received the shots till 10 pm.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya hailed the teenagers who took their doses during the day. Modi said the move to jab the youngsters was “an important step forward in protecting our youth against Covid-19”.

“Congrats to all my young friends between the age group of 15-18 who got vaccinated. Congrats to their parents as well. I would urge more youngsters to get vaccinated in the coming days,” he wrote on Twitter.

Today we have taken an important step forward in protecting our youth against COVID-19. Congrats to all my young friends between the age group of 15-18 who got vaccinated. Congrats to their parents as well. I would urge more youngsters to get vaccinated in the coming days!

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi)

“Well done Young India! Over 40 lakh between 15-18 age group received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine on the first day of vaccination drive for children, till 8 pm. This is another feather in the cap of India’s vaccination drive,” Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted.

Well done Young India! ✌🏼

Over 40 Lakhs between 15-18 age group received their first dose of vaccine on the 1st day of vaccination drive for children, till 8 PM.

This is another feather in the cap of India’s vaccination drive 💉 pic.twitter.com/eieDScNpR4

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya)

Indigenously developed Covaxin, manufactured by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, is the only vaccine available for immunising those in the above-mentioned age bracket at the moment. Chief ministers and health ministers visited and rolled out the vaccination drive in their respective states.

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