Over 50 lakh healthcare, frontline workers and citizens aged 60 years and above have been administered the precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccine since 10th January, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday.

With the administration of nearly 80 lakh vaccine doses in a span of 24 hours, the cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has exceeded 158.04 crore as per provisional reports till 7 am.

"Another day, another milestone over 50 lakh healthcare & frontline workers and citizens aged 60 years or above have received precaution dose, since 10th January. I request all those who are eligible to get their precaution dose at the earliest," Mandaviya tweeted.

India began administering precaution dose of COVID-19 vaccine to healthcare workers, frontline workers including personnel deployed for election duty and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from 10th January amid the country witnessing a spike in Coronavirus infections fuelled by Omicron variant of the virus.

Hoever, the countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on 16th January  2021 with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated in the first phase. The vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started from 2nd February.

The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from 1st March for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.

The country launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from 1st April 2021.

The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 to be vaccinated from 1st May.

The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination has commenced from 3rd January this year for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years.

(PTI)