• Vaccinating children a priority
• Covid-appropriate behaviour must in public places

New Delhi: Amid surging Coronavirus cases in Delhi and some other States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi this noon interacted with Chief Ministers of all the States to review the COVID-19 situation.

PM Modi warned that the “Covid challenge” has not yet been surpassed. “Despite managing the Covid crisis well as compared to other countries, we can see an uptick in cases in some States now. We have to stay alert,” Modi said.

He added that administering vaccine to every eligible child at the earliest is our priority, while stressing the need to ensure COVID-appropriate behaviour in public places.

The review meeting was attended by several Chief Ministers including Karnataka’s Basavaraj Bommai, West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee, Chhattisgarh’s Bhupesh Baghel and Punjab’s Bhagwant Mann.

India reported 2,927 new Coronavirus cases — up from the previous day’s 2,483 — in the last 24 hours as of 8 am today, according to the Union Health Ministry. The active cases in India climbed to 16,279 from 15,636. The country also reported 32 deaths in the last 24 hours.

96% of adult population vaccinated

It’s a matter of pride for every citizen that 96% of our adult population has been vaccinated with the first dose of the vaccine and 85% of the eligible population above 15 years of age inoculated with the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, he said.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Tuesday granted emergency use authorisation to Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for the age group 6-12 years and Corbevax for 5-12 years. Zydus Cadila’s two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, meanwhile, has been approved for the 12 years and above population.