Over 31 cr vax doses administered across country as on June 25, Centre to SC

New Delhi, June 26 In a fresh affidavit, the Centre informed the Supreme Court on Saturday that more than 31 crore vaccine doses have been administered across the country as on June 25.

According to the affidavit, the break-up includes 1,73,35,543 doses to healthcare workers (HCWs); 2,66,36,432 doses to frontline workers (FLWs); 9,93,05,811 doses to persons between 45 and 59 years of age; 8,96,03,216 doses to persons above the age of 60; and 7,84,37,353 doses to persons between 18 and 44 years of age.

In the 380-page additional affidavit, the Centre said that 44.2 per cent of the priority population of persons above 45 years and 13 per cent of the population group of 18-44 years have received the first vaccine dose.

Also, a total of 27.3 per cent of eligible population (18 years and above) have received one dose of Covid-19 vaccine, it said.

According to the Centre, the projected availability of Covid vaccine doses from August 2021 to December 2021 are as follows: Covishield 50 crore, Covaxin 40 crore, Bio E Sub unit vaccine 30 crore, Zydus Cadila DNA vaccine 5 crore, Sputnik V 10 crore.

Therefore, a total of 135 crore vaccines will be available from all sources by the year –end, the Centre said in the affidavit.

The Centre submitted before the top court that prior to the initiation of the New Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National Covid Vaccination Strategy on May 1, a total of 15,49,89,635 (15.49 crore) Covid vaccine doses were administered in the country from January 16 to April 30, 2021.

In May 2021, a total number of 7,95,29,990 (7,95 crore) doses were available for the national Covid vaccination programme.

"Each state is informed by the Union government in writing about the number of vaccine doses it would receive on a monthly basis. This exercise is absolutely essential so as to have uniform vaccination throughout the country. This endeavour can be successful only by treating India as one unit and considering the question on pan India basis," the affidavit said.

The reply from the Centre came in a suo motu case on Covid management being heard by the apex court, where a three-judge bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud, L. Nageswara Rao and Ravindra Bhat had criticised the vaccination policy of the government, terming it as "arbitrary".

The top court had asked the Centre to furnish the details of its vaccine policy before it.

The Centre said that till date, it has procured 34.6 crore doses of Covid vaccine (Covishield: 26.6 crore doses, Covaxin: 8 crore doses) and additional 1 crore doses as commodity assistance under the COVAX facility.

The Centre said that as per the projected midyear population for 2020, the total population of the country aged 18 years and above is approximately 93-94 crore.

"As such, administering two doses to these beneficiaries would require an estimated 186 to 188 crore vaccine doses. A total of 51.6 crore doses will be made available for administration by July 31, leaving a requirement of approximately 135 crore doses for complete vaccination to the eligible population," added the affidavit.