India’s cumulative COVID-19 vaccination coverage exceeds 506.8 million
A health worker inoculates a man with a dose of the Covaxin vaccine at a vaccination camp in Chennai
India’s cumulative COVID19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 506.8 million,said Union Health Ministryon Sundayin a statement.
A total of 55,91,657 vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours, as per the 7 am provisional reporton Sunday.
In a tweet on Saturday,Union Health Minister MansukhMandaviyasaid,Indian government has given Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine approval for emergency use in the country.
The vaccine joinedthe likes ofCovishield,Covaxin, Moderna and Sputnik V vaccines, which have got the emergency use approval in the country till now.
On the microblogging site,Mandaviyasaid, “India expands its vaccine basket. Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is given approval for emergency use in India. Now, India has 5 EUA vaccines. This will further boost our nation's collective fight against COVID-19.”
A Johnson & Johnson India spokesperson said, “We are pleased to announce that on August 7, the Government of India issued Emergency UseAuthorisation(EUA) for the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 single-dose vaccine in India, to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older."
Earlier, Global healthcare major Johnson & Johnson had said it applied for Emergency UseAuthorisation(EUA) of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in India.
(With inputs from agencies)