India fastest country to administer 100 million Covid-19 vaccine doses

India is also at the top in administering daily doses with an average of 38,93,288 doses administered per day, the ministry stated earlier on Saturday.

India achieved the feat of administering 100 million doses faster than the US which took 89 days and China which reached the mark in 102 days, the ministry stated.

The Prime Minister's Office also tweeted a chart showing India as the fastest country to achieve the feat, calling it "Strengthening the efforts to ensure a healthy and COVID-19 free India".

The total number of Covid-19 doses administered in the country stands at 10,12,84,282 as per the provisional report at 7.30 pm, it added.

The ministry said the extension of vaccine coverage to people over 45 and provision for them to get vaccinated at their workplaces for a series of collaborative, co-ordinated and proactive steps by the Centre and the states to ensure the safety of people, it said.

"The achievement is also a testimony of the 'whole of society' approach where individuals turned a deaf ear to rumours and propaganda of vested interests, shunned their vaccine hesitancy and strengthened the hand of the administration in curbing COVID-19," the ministry said.

The mass vaccination drive as a tool to potect the most vulnerable groups from coronavirus infection continues to be regulary reviewed and monitored, it stated.

"A broader comparison with other countries on their achievements on the 85th day reaffirms the fact that India has the highest rate of vaccination per day," the ministry emphasised.

Eight states -- Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala -- have administeed the 60.62 per cent of the total doses given so far in India, according to the ministry.

India launched the mass immunisation exercise on January 16 with healthcare workers (HCWs) becoming the first group to receive the  doses followed by frontline workers (FLWs) who were given the jabs from February 2.

Vaccination for people aged 60 and above and over the age of 45 with specific comorbities started from March 1.

The 10.12 crore mark achieved with 15,17,260 sessions, including 90,03,060 HCWs who were given the first dose and 55,06,717 HCWs who were given the second shot, 99,39,321 FLWs who received the first dose and 47,28,966 FLWs who took the jab for the second time, the ministry said.

Apart from them, 3,01,14,957 and 6,37,768 beneficiaries in the 45 years-59 years category have been administered the first and second dose respectively, while , 3,95,64,741 and 17,88,752 individuals aged above 60 have taken the first and second dose respectively.

"Total 29,65,886 vaccine doses were given till 8 pm on Saturday, the 85th day of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive. Out of these, 26,31,119 beneficiaries were vaccinated for first dose and 3,34,767 beneficiaries received the second dose of the vaccine as per the provisional report," the ministry said.