India to resume virus vaccine exports from October
NEW DELHI: India will resume export of vaccines against Covid-19 under the government’s ‘Vaccine Maitri’ initiative from October 2021, the Union health ministry announced on Monday.
“India will be resuming export of vaccines under Vaccine Maitri in order to fulfill the commitment of India towards COVAX, in line with our moto Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
The surplus supply of vaccines will be used to fulfil our commitment towards the world for the collective fight against Covid-19,” said Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO ( World Health Organisation), and aims at equitable distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, particularly focusing on the low and middle income countries.
Till April-end this year,india exported 66.4 million Covaxin and Covishield vaccine doses that included doses as commercial supplies, grants and supplies to the COVAX facility meant for use in low and middle income countries across the globe.
India’s Covid-19 tally remained above the 30,000 mark on Monday as the country clocked 30,256 cases in the last 24 hours, the data published on the Union health ministry’s website at 8am showed. Kerala remained the leading contributor with 19,653 infections and 152 deaths.
Ater Kerala, Maharashtra was the second contributor to the daily cases of the country. On Sunday, the state reported 3,413 new Covid-19 infections of which Mumbai logged 420 fresh cases, as per the state health bulletin.
On Saturday, the ministry of information and broadcasting shared a graphic on social media, listing out symptoms that can occur within 20 days of administration of any vaccine against Covid-19. In such cases, the central government recommended patients to immediately consult a health professional.
This includes shortness of breath, chest pain, vomiting or persistent abdominal pain, blurred vision or pain in the eyes and severe or persistent headache. Some may also face weakness in any body part, seizures and pain in limbs or swelling in arms or feet.