Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla said that vaccination in a large populous country such as India won't be possible in 2-3 months.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that once the devastating COVID-19 outbreak in India recedes, the Serum Institute of India will need to “get back on track and catch up” on its delivery commitments to COVAX, the global initiative to supply coronavirus vaccines to nations around the world.
Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech have submitted to the Centre that they can ramp up production of Covishield and Covaxin to 10 crore and 7.8 crore doses, respectively, by August.
Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla has issued a statement regarding vaccine availability in the country and ramping up its production. SII issued Poonawalla's statement after some of his comments on vaccine production were misinterpreted.
Serum Institute of India CEO Aadar Poonawalla has said that the production of COVID-19 vaccine Covishield is in full swing in Pune and he will review the operations once he is back in the country.
Mumbai Police today send back some beneficiaries from BKC jumbo COVID19 vaccination centre. A beneficiary says, 'Nobody has come here yet. We're being told we won't get vaccines.' Another beneficiary Akshat says, 'I was given a timing for afternoon but I reached early.'
Only six states—Maharashtra, Rajasthan, UP, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Odisha—will start vaccination for the 18 to 44 age group when the nationwide drive to inoculate the younger lot kickstart on Saturday.
As the third phase of India’s Covid-19 vaccination drive begins on May 1 with all those above the age of 18 years becoming eligible, some major private hospitals announced the launch of their immunization programmes for people in the age group of 18 to 44 years at limited centres in the country on Friday.
According to the Home ministry's order, Poonawalla will be provided security by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) wherever he travels in India.
Maharashtra remains one of the worst-COVID-affected states in the country. As many as 66,358 new cases, 895 deaths and 67,752 recoveries were reported on Tuesday. The total case tally stands at 44,100,85.
The move has come days ahead of India's planned drive to inoculate all aged above 18. The vaccination drive is set to begin May 1.
The Serum Institute of India (SII) on Saturday said only a limited portion of its vaccines volume will be sold to private hospitals at Rs 600 per dose.
Gorakhpur MLA Dr Radha Mohan Das Agrawal made the remarks after SII on Wednesday announced a price of Rs 600 per dose for Covishield supplies to private hospitals and Rs 400 per dose to state govts.
Bollywood actors Farhan Akhtar and Sonu Sood questioned why Serum Institute was not providing its Covishield vaccine at the same price to the centre and the states.
Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla on Tuesday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman for what he called a ‘decisive policy changes’ and ‘swift financial aid’ to help Covid-19 vaccine production and distribution in India.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had in January given the emergency use authorisation for two COVID-19 vaccines -- Covaxin of Bharat Biotech and Covishield of Oxford-AstraZeneca manufactured by Serum Institute of India in Pune.
The Biden administration has conveyed to India that they understand India's pharmaceutical requirements and has promised to review embargo on Covid-19 vaccine raw material.
COVID-19 vaccine: SII will supply 200 million doses and Bharat Biotech is to supply another 90 million doses to the government by July at a pre-agreed rate of Rs 150 per dose.
The WHO has rejected Serum Institute of India's proposal seeking extension of the shelf life of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, from six to nine months, citing insufficient data, sources said.
As India records 1.26 lakh Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours, doctors have urge people to take vaccine in large number. The doctors also requested people to follow Covid norms set by the government as the fear from the virus is still not over yet.
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