Earlier, Covid vaccines were administered only from 9am to 9pm in Delhi (File)
New Delhi:
Coronavirus vaccination centres in Delhi will be operational 24 hours starting tomorrow, the state health ministry declared today in order to speed up inoculations as the country sees a sharp spike in infections.
One-third of Delhi Government’s vaccination centres will be open in the capital from 9pm to 9am, the state health department said in an order. Earlier, vaccines were administered only from 9am to 9pm.
“In order to accelerate the pace of COVID vaccination, it has been decided that the timings of functioning of the COVID vaccination centres should be further increased,” the order read.
“1/3rd of the vaccination sites in all the Delhi government hospitals will also function from 9.00 pm to 9.00 am,” it read.
Over 4,000 cases were reported in Delhi on Sunday as India continues to see a surge in Covid cases for the past weeks. The country reported a record rise in infections today, becoming the second country after the United States to post more than a lakh new cases in a day.
India’s daily infections have risen about 12=fold since hitting a multi-month low in early February, when authorities eased most restrictions.
India has recorded the most number of infections in the past week anywhere in the world.
India is the world’s largest manufacturer of vaccines and has injected 77 million doses in the country since starting its campaign in the middle of January.
India’s per capita Covid vaccinations, however, are lower than many other countries, including that of more populated China that started giving shots to its citizens much earlier.
In a meeting held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, officials discussed raising the country’s vaccine output further.