States to receive nearly 51 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses in next three days: Centre

More than 1.84 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and UTs, while nearly 51 lakh doses are in the pipeline and will be received by them within the next three days, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday.

The Centre has so far provided more than 20 crore vaccine doses (20,28,09,250) to states and UTs free of cost, it said.

Of this, the total consumption, calculated based on average up to May 14, including wastages, is 18,43,67,772 doses, according to data available at 7 pm on Saturday.

"More than 1.84 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses (1,84,41,478) are still available with the states and UTs to be administered. States with negative balance are showing more consumption (including wastage) than vaccine supplied as they have not reconciled the vaccine they have supplied to Armed Forces," the ministry said.

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It said 50,95,640 vaccine doses are in the pipeline and will be received by states and UTs within the next three days.

Vaccination forms an integral component of the comprehensive strategy of the government's containment and management of the pandemic (including test, track, treat, and following COVID1-9 appropriate behaviour).

The Centre has been supporting the nationwide vaccination drive by providing COVID-19 vaccines free of cost to states and UTs, in addition to making several efforts to ramp up its production and supply, the ministry stated.

Implementation of the liberalised and accelerated Phase III strategy of COVID-19 vaccination began on started from May 1 as part of which the government has opened up inoculation for all aged above 18.

Under the revised strategy, every month, 50 percent of the total Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccine doses of any manufacturer would be procured by the Centre. It would continue to make these doses available to state governments free of cost as was being done earlier.