New Delhi, Feb 9 (IANS): The Union Health Ministry has directed states and Union Territories to conclude the first dose administration of all frontline workers by March 6, officials said on Tuesday.

Ministry officials said that they have communicated to all the states and Union Territories that vaccination for all frontline workers must be scheduled once by March 1. The states and UTs are further directed to conclude mop-up rounds latest by March 6.

States and UTs were told that they must schedule vaccination for all the healthcare workers listed in the CoWIN application by March 1. Further, they have been asked that all frontline workers must be given the opportunity of mop-up rounds by March 6.

Earlier, the Health Ministry had asked all states and UTs to complete the administration of the first dose of Covid vaccines to their healthcare workers by February 20 and conclude mop-up round by February 24.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said during a press briefing that the aim should be that no willing beneficiary is left behind and for that, states and UTs are free to conduct as many mop-up rounds they want.

"They can do multiple rounds depending on their strength. The aim of the mop-up rounds is to ensure that those healthcare and frontline workers, who could not come during their scheduled vaccination sessions, will then be availed an opportunity afforded by the mop-up rounds to get their dose of vaccination," he said.

However, Bhushan also said that those healthcare and frontline workers, who fail to appear even during the mop-up rounds, will be relegated to age specific appropriate vaccination rounds.

"Those who would not come forward even during the mop-ups, will receive vaccine doses when the age specific vaccination rounds will roll out for the general public. There, they will be provided vaccines on the age group they fall," he added.