Over 1.5 crore youngsters between 15-18 age group are fully vaccinated in India

In a tweet today, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said, "Young India is fighting the pandemic with full vigour. Over 1.5 crore youngsters between the 15-18 age group are fully vaccinated now. #SabkoVaccineMuftVaccine."

Notably, the vaccination drive for those aged between 15-18 years commenced on January 3 this year.

India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 173.38 crore (1,73,38,16,302) today. More than 40 lakh (40,40,596) vaccine doses have been administered till 7 pm today, the Health Ministry informed in its official release.

More than 1.72 crore (1,76,27,475) precaution doses for the identified categories of beneficiaries (healthcare workers, frontline workers and over 60 years) for COVID vaccination have been administered so far. The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late tonight.

The Union Government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country. The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination started on January 16, 2021.

The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on June 21, 2021. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through the availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.

As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, the Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them COVID vaccines free of cost. In the new phase of the universalization of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Union Government will procure and supply (free of cost) 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to States and UTs. (ANI)