Don’t think that COVID-19 is over: Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya warns officials during review meet

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya reviewed the progress of the ongoing vaccination campaign across the country and warned against any laxity in dealing with the pandemic.

The Union Health Minister, while reviewing the vaccination status with the health ministers of States and Union Territories, warned them not to think that the pandemic is over.

“We shouldn't think that COVID-19 is over. CoWIN can be used to prepare district-specific action plans,” Mandaviya said during the meeting.

Delhi | Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya meets State/UT health ministers on 'Har Ghar Dastak' COVID19 vaccination campaign

We shouldn't think that COVID19 is over. CoWIN can be used to prepare district-specific action plans, he says during the meeting. pic.twitter.com/t1ScYRGYT4 — ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2021

Today’s review meeting has been called "to give further impetus to Prime minister Narendra Modi’s call of Har Ghar Dastak during which Mandaviya will review the situation with health ministers of states and UTs. 

The government launched the month-long 'Har Ghar Dastak' campaign on November 2 on the occasion of Dhanwantari Diwas. With this campaign, the Centre is targeting to complete maximum single dose and second dose adult COVID-19 vaccination. 

The campaign aims for house-to-house COVID-19 vaccination of those who are yet to take a dose and also those whose second dose is overdue. 

Around 79.2 per cent of India's adult population has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while more than 37 per cent of the country's around 94 crore adult population has been administered both the doses, according to health ministry officials.

The top five states which have administered the highest number of doses are Uttar Pradesh followed by Maharashtra, West Bengal, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

The health ministry has also written to several states and union territories asking them to prioritise administering the second dose to beneficiaries who have not got themselves inoculated with the second shot even after the expiry of the prescribed interval between the two doses, the sources said.

The Health Ministry had informed that 110.23 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. 

The Centre has provided 1,20,08,58,170 vaccine doses to states and union territories so far, through free of cost channel, and through the direct state procurement category, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday.

According to an official release, 16,74,03,871 balance and unutilized COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and union territories to be administered.