"Free Vaccine" Campaign Covered 30-40 Crore In 24 Days: Health Minister

India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 40.64 crore, according to health ministry data updated in Monday morning.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said it took 85 days to inoculate 10 crore people against COVID-19, while due to the "vaccine for all, free vaccine" campaign, it took only 24 days to reach 30-40 crore vaccination coverage. The new phase of universalisation of COVID-19 vaccination started from June 21. The inoculation drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance vaccine availability to states and union territories (UTs) for better planning by them and streamlining the supply chain, according to the Union health ministry. In the new phase, the Centre procures and supplies at no cost 75 per cent of the vaccines being produced in the country to states and UTs.