Over 57 crore vaccine doses provided to states and Union Territories: Government

More than 57.05 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been provided to state and UTs so far, the Union Health Ministry said on Monday.

Another 13,34,620 doses are in the pipeline, the ministry said.

Over 3.44 crore balance and unutilised COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered, it said.

The ministry said the Union Government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country.

Meanwhile, Odisha on Monday registered 761 new COVID-19 cases, including 101 children, taking the state's tally to 10,01,698, while 68 fresh fatalities pushed the toll to 7,426, a health department official said.

The Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners Association said multiplexes and theatres in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu, as well, will start receiving film lovers from August 27, nearly four months after cinema halls were closed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the state government relaxing COVID-19 lockdown regulations permitting theatres to re-open from today, theatre owners are bracing for a grand re-opening this weekend hoping to draw a steady trickle of movie lovers.

The previous AIADMK government had ordered the closure of cinema halls from April 26, after they recommenced business in November last year, owing to the coronavirus second wave. After the DMK stormed to power, the government announced several relaxations in various stages and had allowed the re-opening of theatres from today.