India on Friday reported 43,393 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, according to data from the health ministry. The country's active caseload stands at 4,58,727. The daily positivity rate - the number of positive cases identified per 100 - is 2.42 per cent, less than 3 per cent for 18 straight days. The recovery rate is at 97.19 per cent. 36.89 crore vaccine doses have been administered since the nationwide vaccination drive began.
Meanwhile, vaccination for children will start by September with the Zydus vaccine for 12 to 18-year-olds, Dr NK Arora, who heads the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration, has told NDTV in an exclusive interview. The emergency use authorisation for the Zydus vaccine will come within weeks, he added.
This, he said, will be followed up with Covaxin.