NEW DELHI: In a move to ramp up coverage of Covid vaccines, particularly the second dose among those who are overdue, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya has called a meeting with health ministers of states and Union territories on Wednesday to review the situation and expedite the coverage so that all of the adult population can be covered with at least one dose by December.
The Centre has asked the states and UTs to speed up the vaccination drive with focus on the second doses. The direction came against the backdrop of the country achieving the milestone of administering 100 crore vaccine doses on October 21.
More than 10 crore people have their second dose overdue despite a huge balance of vaccine stock available with states and UTs.
More than 12.37 crore balance and unutilised doses of Covid vaccines were available with states and UTs as on Tuesday morning, according to health ministry data. The government wants to accelerate the inoculation drive as it has planned to vaccinate the entire eligible population by the end of the year.