86% of India's adult population fully vaccinated against Covid-19

Over 86 per cent of India's adult population is now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus infection, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said as the number of cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 188 crore on Tuesday.

More than 19 lakh (19,67,717) vaccine doses have been administered till 7 pm on Tuesday.

The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late night.

Over 46,044 precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered in those aged 18-59 years till 7 pm on Tuesday, taking the total number of precaution doses given in this age-group to 5,15,290 so far, according to the health ministry data.

Over 86 per cent of the adult population is now fully vaccinated, Mandaviya said in a tweet.

India had on April 10 began administering precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years at private vaccination centres.

All those above the age of 18 who have completed nine months after the administration of the second dose are eligible for the precaution dose.

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.

The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 last year for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions.

India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1 last year.

The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 years of age to be inoculated against the viral disease from May 1 last year.

The next phase of vaccination commenced from January 3 for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years.

India began administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10. 

The country began inoculating children aged 12-14 from March 16 and also removed the comorbidity clause, making all people aged above 60 eligible for the precaution dose.