1 Year, 156 Cr Covid Shots, 2 Backbone Jabs | Recap of India's 'Fastest, Largest' Vaccine Drive

India completed one year of its ambitious Covid-19 vaccination drive on Sunday, by administering over 156 crore vaccine doses. On this day, a year ago, the country set out to achieve its vaccination targets by jabbing its health and frontline workers in the first phase of the drive.

As on Saturday, a total of 156.37 crore doses have been administered across the country. Over 70 per cent of the adult population is fully vaccinated, which accounts for over 65 crore beneficiaries.

Over the past year, India has achieved numerous milestones as well as countered a number of hurdles in its bid to vaccinate 1.38 billion population – from reaching the remotest corners to jab its citizens to battling widespread vaccine hesitancy, from creating the indigenous Covaxin to introducing a third ‘precaution’ dose, and from battling a devastating Delta-driven second wave to reaching high vaccination numbers as the Omicron variant fuels a third wave. On January 3, 2022, India also opened its vaccination drive to include young adults aged between 15 and 17.

The Centre’s citizen engagement platform, MyGovIndia, also marked the one-year milestone by posting an informative thread on Twitter: ““Our vaccination drive has shown the power of Team India” Today, as we celebrate one year of the world’s #LargestVaccineDrive, we have witnessed what happens when 1.3 billion people come together for a common goal. Here’s a thread that will make you proud!”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday complimented Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the successful completion of one year of India’s Covid vaccination drive and said the country has set an example for the world how the government and the people together can conquer impossible challenges.

Shah also congratulated the scientists, health workers, Covid warriors and the people of the country for this endeavour. “With the efficient leadership, determination and constant efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, India has set an example in the world that if the government and citizens unite in the interest of the nation and set a common goal, then the country can overcome the impossible and conquer every challenge,” he tweeted in Hindi with a hashtag one year of vaccine drive.

Here’s a look at India’s year in Covid-19 vaccinations:

January 16, 2021: India embarks on the first phase of the Covid-19 vaccination drive by inoculating its health and frontline workers with its two “backbone” vaccines, Serum institute-developed Oxford vaccine Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

February 19,2021: India achieves one crore vaccinations.

March 1, 2021: The vaccination drive enters its second phase as India began vaccinating its senior citizens, and co-morbid population aged between 45 and 60. Vaccination registration begins through CoWIN portal.

April 1, 2021: Soon, the vaccination drive opens to all aged between 45 and 60.

May 1, 2021: All adults above the age of 18 become eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine.

June 21, 2021: Central government announces free vaccinations.

November 3, 2021: Government launches door-to-door vaccination drive, ‘Har ghar dastak’.

January 3, 2022: Vaccination opens for young adults aged between 15 and 17. According to government data, over 3.3 crore doses have already been administered to teenagers in the eligible age group. This means that 45 per cent of their population have received the first dose.

January 10, 2022: Vaccination with ‘precaution’ or booster shots opens for health and frontline workers as well as co-morbid senior citizens. As per government data, over 43 lakh precaution doses have been administered so far.

Covid-19 vaccination drive in numbers

India has administered over 156 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses so far, which accounts for 70 per cent fully vaccinated population. India, however, has still not reached its target of 100 per cent first dose coverage. As of now, 92 per cent of the population has received the first dose of the vaccine.

According to the ministry of health and family welfare, 90,68,44,414 first doses and 65,51,95,703 second doses have been administered.

Here are some facts and figures as per government data:

1. Over 76 crore vaccine doses have been administered to women

2. Over 99 crore doses have been administered in rural areas at Covid vaccination centres

3. Over 3.69 lakh vaccine doses have been administered to transgender population.

4. Over 6 lakh vaccine doses have been administered to prison inmates.

5. Over 11 crore beneficiaries have been vaccinated in tribal districts.

6. More than 40 crore vaccine doses have been administered at near-to-home Covid vaccination centres.

Vaccines in India

Since January 2, 2021, when Serum Institute’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s ‘made in India’ Covaxin were granted ’emergency use authorisation’, six other Covid-19 vaccines have been approved in India. These are Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D, which will be the first needleless vaccine in the market; the second Serum Institute vaccine Covovax, Biological E’s Corbevax, Russia’s Sputnik V, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose vaccine.

Covishield and Covaxin have held the vaccination drive together over the past year. ZyCoV-D, while having been approved, is yet to be rolled out as India enters the second year of Covid-19 vaccination.

In November 2021, Covaxin was listed for energency use by World Health Organization making it the eighth in the world to received the international health body’s nod. Covaxin is the only vaccine being administered to children in India as of now.

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