India News | UP: Second Day of COVID Vaccine Drive on Friday

Lucknow, Jan 21 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh authorities hope to vaccinate around 1.5 lakh health workers on Friday, the second day of the COVID vaccination drive in the state.

"The second leg of the COVID-19 vaccination will be held on Friday. Around 1,400 to 1,500 booths have been made in the state for the vaccination of health workers," Principal Secretary (Health) Alok Kumar told reporters.

The vaccination drive had started on January 16 and on the first day, over 20,000 health care workers were vaccinated at 317 centres across the state.

Bharat Biotech-manufactured Covaxin was administred to health workers at 11 sites in Ambedkar Nagar, Badaun, Firozabad, Bahraich and Jhansi districts. At the remaining 306 centres, Covishield vaccine was given to health workers.

Till Wednesday evening, around 9.11 lakh vaccine doses arrived in the state, Kumar said.

We have about nine lakh health workers and keeping in mind the two doses needed to be given to them, we have enough vaccine doses to administer, Kumar said, adding that after Friday, the drive will be held on each Thursday and Friday.

Those who were administered the vaccine will get the second dose after 28 days.

So far, the state has reported 5,97,823 coronavirus cases, including 8,597 deaths. On Thursday, the state authorities reported six deaths and 195 fresh infections.

Currently, the number of active coronavirus cases stands at 7,717 in the state, according to officials.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)