Over 1.2 crore people aged 60 years and above yet to receive first dose of Covid vaccine: Govt

New Delhi: Over 1.2 crore people aged 60 years and above in the country had not received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as on February 8, the government informed Parliament on Friday. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said a total of 1,20,82,792 people in the said age group are yet to receive the first dose of a Covid vaccine.

Besides, 1,68,03,864 beneficiaries in the age group have not received the second dose of the vaccines, she added.

As on February 8, a total of 95.09 crore (93.9 per cent) people aged 15 years and above had received the first dose of a Covid vaccine and 73.59 crore (72.6 per cent) beneficiaries in the age group had received both doses.

Under the National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, the vaccines have been utilised within their shelf life, the minister said, adding that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has approved a shelf life of nine months for Covishield, while for Covaxin, it is 12 months from the date of manufacture.

Adequate vaccine doses have been made available to the states and Union territories to inoculate all the eligible beneficiaries against the viral disease with the first dose, the second dose and the precaution dose, she stated. PTI PLB RC>