A day after the Serum Institute of India (SII) manufactured Covishield, the Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN reached Delhi and 10 other cities.
After being approved by the Drugs Control General of India (DCGI,) the SII’s Covishield, worth Rs. 210 per dose and Bharat Biotech International Private Limited’s COVAXIN would be administered to 30 crore people during the first phase of the biggest COVID-19 vaccine drive.
According to sources, the first batches of COVAXIN, left from Hyderabad early this morning.
Delhi and 10 other cities including Bengaluru, Chennai, Patna, Jaipur and Lucknow would get 55 lakhs of COVAXIN doses.
The Central Government ordered 55 lakh doses of COVAXIN and 1.1 crore doses of Covishield.
The first consignment of COVAXIN includes three boxes weighing 80.5 kg, which was flown to Delhi by Air India.
An official close to the development said, “The first consignment of vaccine from Bharat Biotech is being carried by Air India on AI 559 from Hyderabad to Delhi on Wednesday at 0640 hours.”
The Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech would roll out 14 consignments from its factory to all the locations.
Bharat Biotech is charging Rs. 295 per dose for 38.5 lakh doses and the remaining 16.5 lakh doses would be given free of cost.
So far, the Central Government received 54,72,000 doses of vaccines for COVID-19.
The Union Health Ministry on the 12th of January said, “100 percent doses to be received by January 14 in all states/UTs.”
Both Covishield and Covaxin are two-dose vaccines, which would be administered at a 28 day gap.
Frontline workers, health staff, police officials, senior citizens and people with comorbidities would get the doses first.
The world’s biggest COVID-19 vaccination drive organised by the Indian Government is set to begin from the 16th of January.
Stay tuned for further updates.
