The Union Health Ministry has asked all states and union territories to initiate vaccination of frontline workers against COVID-19 from the first week of February. Vaccination of healthcare providers that began on January 16 to continue simultaneously, the ministry said in a letter to states and union territories.

In the letter, Health Ministry Additional Secretary Manohar Agnani said the database of frontline workers is being d by states and UTs in collaboration with the respective line ministries. As on date, the database of more than 61 lakh frontline workers has been uploaded on Co-WIN portal.

A pan-India COVID-19 vaccination drive initiated on January 16 aims to cover healthcare and frontline workers in the initial phase.

The letter mentions that the required doses of both vaccines - Covishield and Covaxin - have been allocated to the states and UTs and further augmentation will be made through subsequent releases.

The states and UTs should ensure that sessions must be created for both the types of vaccines in proportion to the release of vaccines to the state, wherever applicable, the letter said.