NEW DELHI, Oct 19 (Reuters) - A "sizeable number" of people
in India have not taken their second COVID-19 vaccine dose by
the due date despite adequate supplies, the health ministry said
on Tuesday, as new infections fell to their lowest since early
March.
Daily shots have averaged 5 million this month, a fifth of
September's peak, though states are sitting on record stocks of
more than 100 million as domestic output of the AstraZeneca
vaccine soars.
Despite the low number of infections, ministry officials
have been urging people to get vaccinated fast, especially as
the ongoing festival season means family gatherings and mass
shopping, raising the risk of infection.
Nearly three-quarters of India's 944 million adults have
received at least one dose but only 31% have been fully
inoculated, mainly due to a longer-than-usual gap between
AstraZeneca doses https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-vaccine-effort-slows-dose-gap-trumps-output-jump-2021-10-18
but also because people are skipping their second shots.
"A sizeable number of beneficiaries who are eligible have
not received their second dose," the health ministry said in a
statement.
"It was pointed out that many states have adequate doses to
vaccinate those people who are awaiting their second dose.
Government of India is in a position to provide additional
vaccine doses ... so that they can complete the aforesaid task."
More than 242 million Indian adults have yet to get a shot,
while vaccination has not started for those under 18.
India reported 13,058 new infections on Tuesday, the lowest
since early March and taking the total to 34.1 million. Deaths
rose by 164 to 452,454.
(Reporting by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Nick Macfie)