Even as India began COVID-19 vaccination for 15-18 age group at the beginnibg of this year, the vaccination for kids below age of 15 hasn't started yet. The Union Health Ministry at a regular press briefing on Thursday, January 20 said that the coverage of vaccination will be expanded after scientific evidence evolves.
Rajesh Bhushan, Health Secretary said, "As scientific evidence evolves, we will be expanding the coverage of vaccination." "We will take decision on the basis of scientific data," he added.
He also informed that 72 per cent of India's adult population is fully vaccinated whereas around 52 per cent of children in the 15-18 years old age group have been inoculated with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
"Till now, 52 per cent children in the 15-18 age group in the country vaccinated and a proportion of fully vaccinated people is 72 per cent against COVID-19." He also stated that the country has reported 3,17,532 new COVID-19 cases and 380 deaths in the past 24 hours. With this, the active caseload of India has gone up to 19,24,051, the health secretary said.
In India, Bhushan informed that Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Delhi and Rajasthan are among the top ten states in terms of active cases.
Following these observations of COVID-19 infection in these states, he said that Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh are among the "States of Concern".
Speaking about an alarming rise in coronavirus infection cases, the Union Health Secretary asserted that Europe has been contributing around 38 per cent of the total COVID-19 positive cases across the country.
"Asia is showing a sharp surge in global contribution from 7.9 per cent to approximately 18.4 per cent in four weeks, out of which Europe has been contributing around 38 per cent. A sharp surge is also seen in COVID19 cases in India," Bhushan added.
