New Delhi: The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 900 million, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Saturday.

The country-wide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started on February 2.

“Shastri ji gave the slogan ‘Jai Jawan – Jai Kisan’. Revered Atal ji added ‘Jai Vigyan’ and PM @Narendra Modi Ji gave the slogan ‘Jai Anusandhan’. Today the result of anusandhan is this corona vaccine.#JaiAnusandhan,” Mandaviya tweeted.

The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for people over 60 years and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.

The country launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 from April 1.

The government then decided to expand the vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to be vaccinated from May 1.

Have received Covishield from India: UNGA prez

President of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid has said he had received the two doses of the Covishield vaccine manufactured in India, as have a “large portion” of other countries around the world.

“On vaccines, that’s a very technical question you have asked me. I got Covishield from India, I’ve got the two doses. I don’t know how many countries would say that Covishield is acceptable or not, but a large portion of the countries have got Covishield,” he said.