'Jabbed Working Class a Boon for Economy': In a First, Young Indians Overtake the Rest in Total Vaccinations

For the first time, the young have overtaken the rest of the population in total jab numbers in the country, amidst increasing demand for Covid-19 vaccines among the 18-44 age-group population ever since they had become eligible for it in May.

The cumulative data after yet another one crore-plus vaccination day on September 6 shows that 34.8 crore jabs have been given to the 18-44 age category in the country now, surpassing the 34.7 crore jabs given to the rest of the adult population. This includes the healthcare and frontline workers of all the age-groups.

As many as 20.8 crore jabs have been given to the 45-60 age group population, while the senior citizens are accounting for 13.8 crore jabs.

Government officials told News18 that this is a positive sign for the economy too as more and more young and working population gets jabbed and safeguarded from serious disease or hospitalisation due to Covid. This is the first time that jab count for the young has overtaken that of the rest of the adult population since vaccination opened for the 18-44 category in May. For other age groups, jabs opened up from March and April.

News18 had earlier reported on August 17 that the 18-44 group had overtaken the rest in taking the first shot of the vaccine. The total jab numbers for the 18-44 group account for nearly 60% of the total numbers now in many big states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh as well as in Delhi, Haryana and Gujarat. In Maharashtra and Kerala, the rest of the age-group still accounts for more jabs than the 18-44 group.

Out of the 94 crore adult population in the country as projected in 2021, nearly 60 crore is in the 18-44 category, while 34 crore people are aged 45 and above. The young in the 18-44 category hence need close to 120 crore jabs in all to be fully vaccinated, out of which 34.8 crore jabs have been given so far. The job is however almost 50% complete for the 45+ category with 34.7 crore jabs given out of the nearly 68 crore total jabs needed.

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