Mumbai, Delhi lagging behind in Covid-19 vaccination drive with less than 30% fully vaccinated

India's two most populous cities, Mumbai and Delhi, are lagging behind in the country's vaccination drive as they could vaccinate less than 30 per cent of the eligible population amid fears of another wave of coronavirus.

India, as a whole, has administered as many as 67.65 crore Covid-19 vaccine does, with over 50 lakh doses on Friday alone, the Co-WIN data showed.

Delhi, with 1.43 crore eligible persons, has managed to give out 1.39 crore doses, which include 39.89 lakh second doses, protecting about 28 per cent of the population. Chennai, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, has managed to administer 51.14 lakh doses, including 15.23 lakh second ones, shielding about 35 per cent of its eligible population of 43.62 lakh.

Maharashtra's capital Mumbai has reached 1 crore doses, including 27.73 lakh second doses, covering just around 28 per cent of the population. Kolkata is ahead with 52.71 per cent coverage, however, the West Bengal capital's eligible population is substantially lesser than Mumbai.

Experts suggest that around 60-70 per cent of people need to be protected with jabs in order to keep the pandemic in control and to eventually minimise fatality risk.

Around 16 per cent of Indians are fully vaccinated and 54 per cent have at least received the first dose. States like Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim have completed administering the first dose to 100 per cent of the eligible population.

Meanwhile, UK has moved its focus to booster shots of the vaccine, a third dose to provide additional protection to vulnerable people.