Hyderabad, Jun 8 (IANS): Covid-19 vaccination gathered momentum in Telangana as more than 1.65 lakh people received the doses on Monday.

A total of 1,66,818 people were vaccinated till 9 p.m. on Monday. They include 1,54,208 people received first dose. Another 12,355 were given second dose.

Among those who got first jab, the highest number of beneficiaries (1,28,460) were aged 18-44 years. This is the first time that the number of people in the 18-44 year age group who received the vaccine in a single day crossed one lakh.

Most of the beneficiaries in 18-44 age group were covered under the special drive for high risk groups.

The health authorities are giving free vaccines to high risk groups like autorickshaw and taxi drivers, Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) employees, LPG delivery staff, fair price shop dealers, petrol pump workers, vendors in rythu bazaars, fruit, vegetable and flower markets, kirana shops, liquor shops and non-vegetarian markets.

According to director of public health Dr G. Srinivasa Rao, 36,676 people aged 45 years and above also received the vaccine pm Monday. They included 24,321 who received their first dose.

The vaccination was carried out at 727 vaccination centres - 696 government and 31 private centres. As many as 56,527 beneficiaries were vaccinated at private vaccination centres.

With this the state has so far vaccinated 54,13,379 people. Of them 14,48,736 have received their second dose.

The largest number of beneficiaries is in the age group of 45 and above. The number of people in 18-44 year age group who received their first dose has reached 8,23,875.

Over 4.38 lakh healthcare workers and over 3.53 frontline workers have also been vaccinated so far.

According to director of public health, the state was so far issued 69.36 lakh doses.

Around 2.75 crore people in the state are eligible for vaccine. Thus the total requirement is 5.5 crore (two doses per person). Nearly 20 per cent of the target beneficiaries have at least received first dose. Around 2.22 crore people are yet to receive first dose.

The Covid vaccination in the state had resumed in the last week of May after a gap of nearly three weeks.

The state government has already said that it has the capability to administer 10 lakh doses per day and thus cover the entire state in 45 days but poor supplies from the Centre has hit the programme.