In a landmark victory against the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of Uttar Pradesh has successfully achieved a target of nearly 1 crore vaccinations, since January 16, 2021. With this, UP has lodged its name as the first state in India to inoculate over 99,27,150 people with the first dose of the anti-coronavirus vaccine, including healthcare officials, frontline workers and people above the age of 45 years. Out of this, about 6,11,595 people across Uttar Pradesh, have received the second dose as well, read an official statement.
COVID vaccination at a war-footing in UP
Amid the massive surge in coronavirus infections across the country, COVID testing and vaccination are going on in full swing in the state. According to a government spokesman, “Vaccination of people aged above 60 and those between 45 and 60 is being conducted at a war-footing across the state in private and district hospitals, and medical colleges. This is being done primarily to bring down the transmission level and to provide a safety shield to the elderly who are more susceptible to the COVID infection.”
Besides this, the state has also disseminate 17,43,786 first and 10,78,093 second doses of the vaccine to healthcare and frontline workers, to cross the 90-lakh mark. This lot has been in the vaccination scope since the first phase of the immunity drive.
Free of cost vaccination in UP, from May 1
A day after the Centre’s nod to provide the COVID vaccination for all adults, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, late on Tuesday night, decided that it will offer the COVID vaccine free of cost from May 1. While India’s vaccine net widens to include all people over the age of 18, the Health Department has been tasked with working out the logistics of this exercise in the most populous state of the country. Until now, only those who were over the age of 45 were eligible for the COVID jab.
In a statement, the Chief Minister highlighted, “We have to increase vaccination centres and create a database of the target age group.” The Centre has also agreed to allow the state to get the vaccine from private players, at a ‘pre-agreed price’, to overcome any shortage it might face due to the increased scope.
Uttar Pradesh is India’s second most affected state, with over two lakh active coronavirus cases. New cases have seen a frightening spike since March 31, when 918 cases were reported. As of the latest reports, nearly 30,000 new cases were detected here on Tuesday.
– With inputs from IANS
