Centre orders 440 mn doses of Covid vaccines
250 mn Covishield, 190 mn Covaxin shots to be delivered between August and December: official
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday said it has placed orders for 440 million doses of Covishield and Covaxin coronavirus vaccines, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Union government would take over the state procurement quota and provide free jabs to state governments for inoculation of all above the age of 18, an official aware of the developments said.
These 440 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be delivered by their makers between August and December 2021, the Union health ministry said.
“In immediate follow-up of the Prime Minister’s announcement of these changes in the Guidelines of National Covid-19 Vaccination programme yesterday (Monday), the Centre has placed an order with Serum Institute of India for 250 million doses of Covishield and with Bharat Biotech for 190 million doses of Covaxin,” the official cited above said.
“Additionally, 30% of the advance for procurement of both the Covid-19 vaccines has been
released to Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech,” the official said.
The official said the Centre has been supporting the efforts of states and Union territories (UTs) for an effective vaccination drive under the “whole of government approach” since January 16 this year.
Based on various representations received by the Centre, the vaccination for all adults above 18 years of age was opened in the Phase 3 of vaccination strategy beginning May 1.
“Now with the aim to further universalise the countrywide vaccination drive, all citizens above 18 years of age can receive the Covid-19 vaccine doses free of cost at government health facilities,” the official said.
Additionally, the health ministry said more than 11.9 million Covid-19 vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered.
Over 240 million vaccine doses have been provided to states and UTs so far through Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category, it said.
The announcement came on a day when India reported fewer than 100,000 new coronavirus infections after a gap of 63 days, while the daily positivity rate dropped to 4.62%. It recorded a single-day rise of 86,498 cases on Tuesday, the lowest in 66 days, taking the total tally of Covid-19 cases to 28.9 million. The Covid-19 death increased by 2,123 on Tuesday, the lowest in 47 days, the health ministry data showed.
The Union government will provide free coronavirus vaccines to states and UTs for inoculation of all above 18 years of age from June 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday, announcing that the Centre will take over the 25% state procurement quota.
Asserting that vaccine supply would be increased significantly in the coming days, the Prime Minister said the Centre has now decided to buy 75% of jabs from vaccine makers for free supply to states, while private sector hospitals will continue to procure the remaining 25%.