Hyderabad,Telangana: Telangana is the first large state across the country to complete 100 per cent first dose vaccination against COVID-19, said state health minister T Harish Rao on Tuesday.
As the state achieved this feat on Tuesday, Rao along with Health Director and other officials celebrated the occasion by cutting a cake at the Director of Health office in Kothi.
“It is a great thing that the first dose of the vaccine in the state is 100 per cent complete. With this, Telangana has set a record in the country as the first large state to complete the first dose one hundred per cent. Until now the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Sikkim -- only 8 smaller states, Union Territories, have achieved this feat,” Rao said while addressing media persons.
The minister further informed that that state has completed 66 per cent coverage of second dose.
Vaccination is ongoing in 3,500 government centres and 264 private centers, he informed.
“There are a total of 10,000 vaccinators, with a total of 35,000 staff working on the vaccination process. So far 100 per cent of the first dose and 66 per cent of the second dose have been completed. The national average is 90 percent for the first dose and 63 percent for the second dose. We are ahead of the national average,” Rao said.
Meanwhile, Telangana on Tuesday reported seven new cases of COVID-19 variant Omicron with which the total tally rose to 62.
Also, Telangana government on Tuesday accorded permission to extend the timing of bars and liquor shops for New Year’s eve.
The state government gave permission to the Director of Prohibition and Excise Department to permit license holders of bars, licensees of event permit managements and in-house licensees of Tourism Development Corporation to serve liquor up to 1 am on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1.
“Prohibition and Excise Department - Permission to sell/serve liquor by 2B (Bar), C1 (In-House), EP1 (Event Permit) and TD1 (In-House) licensees of Tourism Development Corporation up to 1 AM on the intervening night of December 31, 2021 and January 1, 2022 to keep the A4 licenses (Retail shops) open up to 12 midnight of December 31, 2021 on the eve of New Years Day celebrations - Orders - Issued,” reads the Telangana Revenue Department order.
Permission was also accorded to keep liquor shops open up to 12 midnight on December 31 on the eve of New Year in relaxation of the rules in vogue, subject to observance of Standard Operating Procedures, of COVID-19.
However, the Telangana government’s order comes at a time when other States have been imposing restrictions and night curfew amid rising concern of Omicron variant of coronavirus.
Telangana on Monday reported 12 more Omicron cases, taking the total tally of the new variant in the state to 55.
