The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered to healthcare and frontline workers in the country has crossed 1.30 crore, the Union Health Ministry said on 25 February.

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From March 1, the COVID-19 vaccination will be extended to people aged 60 years and above and those aged above 45 years with comorbidities, it stated. On February 24, the Centre held meeting with all states and Union Territories to review the progress of COVID-19 vaccination drive with a focus on improving pace of vaccination. "States and UTs have been advised to expand COVID-19 vaccination sessions to all public health care facilities along with CGHS and PM-JAY-empaneled hospitals from March," the ministry said.

A total of 1,30,67,047 vaccine doses have been given through 2,77,303 sessions, as per the provisional report till 25 February 6 pm. These include 65,82,007 healthcare workers (HCWs) (75.5 percent) who have taken the first dose and 18,60,859 HCWs (63.6 percent) who have taken the second dose, along with 46,24,181 frontline workers (FLWs) who took their their first dose. (45.1 percent).

While the countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16, vaccination of the FLWs started from February 2. "Total 3,95,884 vaccine doses were given till 6 pm on 25 February, the 41st day of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination. "Of these, 1,51,373 beneficiaries were vaccinated for first dose and 2,44,511 HCWs received their second dose of vaccine as per the provisional report," the ministry said, adding that the final reports would be completed for the day by late night.

It said 12,988 sessions were held till 6 pm. All states and UTs conducted the COVID-19 inoculations on 25 February. Four states and UTs have vaccinated more than 75 percent of the registered HCWs and FLWs for the first dose. These are Rajasthan, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, the ministry stated. Eight states have vaccinated more than 80 percent registered HCWs for the first dose. These are Bihar, Odisha, Tripura, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

On the other hand, four states and UT have reported less than 50 percent coverage of registered HCWs for the first dose, the ministry said. These are Nagaland, Punjab, Chandigarh and Puducherry. Six states -- Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Tripura, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand -- have registered more than 60 percent coverage for the first dose among FLWs.

On the other hand, eight states and UT have reported less than 25 percent coverage of registered FLWs for the first dose, namely Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, Kerala and Puducherry. The ministry said five states that recorded highest number of vaccinations are UP, Gujarat, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. A total of 51 people have been hospitalized so far. This comprises 0.0004 percent of the total vaccinations.

Of the 51 cases of hospitalization till date, 26 were discharged after treatment, while 23 died and two are under treatment, it said. In the last 24 hours, one person has been hospitalized at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar and he is stable now, the ministry said. Total 45 deaths have been recorded till date which comprise 0.0004 percent of the total COVID-19 vaccinations. Of the 45, 23 persons died in the hospital while 22 deaths are recorded outside the hospital. "No case of serious/severe AEFI/Death is attributable to vaccination till date," the ministry stated. In the last 24 hours, one new death has been reported. A 52-year-old male, a resident of Uttar Dinajpur, West Bengal died after seven days of vaccination due to cardiogenic shock with acute kidney injury, the ministry said.