COVID-19 vaccine: SII, Bharat Biotech to raise production by August
While Pune-based Serum Institute said it can ramp up the production to 10 crore, the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech said they can raise the production to 7.8 crore doses till August
BusinessToday.In | May 13, 2021 | Updated 09:33 IST
Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech have submitted their production plan for the next four months as several states continue to report the shortages of COVID-19 vaccines.
While Pune-based Serum Institute said it can ramp up the production to 10 crore, the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech said they can raise the production to 7.8 crore doses till August.
Whole-time Director of Bharat Biotech Dr V Krishna Mohan told the Union Health Ministry and the office of Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) that the production of Covaxin can be raised to 3.32 crore in July and 7.82 crore in August, which will also be maintained in September.
Centre should float global tenders for Covid vaccines, not states: Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain has urged the central government to float global tenders for Covid-19 vaccines instead of states procuring them individually.
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File photo of Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain (Photo Credits: PTI)
HIGHLIGHTS
Covaxin, Covishield are being sold at varying prices to Centre, states and private hospitals
SII, Bharat Biotech must share vaccine formula with all Indian manufacturers: Satyendar Jain
Central government should float global tenders for Covid-19 vaccines instead of states floating them individually, said Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain. This was among many of the issues raised in a meeting with Union Health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, Jain told the media during a press conference on Thursday.
: Thursday, May 13, 2021, 7:07 PM IST Very good move : Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla after Centre extends gap between two doses of Covishield to 12-16 weeks
Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla
The Union Health Ministry on Thursday accepted the recommendation of the COVID working group to extend the gap between the first and second doses of the Pune-based Serum Institute of India s COVID-19 vaccine Covishield vaccine to 12-16 weeks. The present gap between the two doses of the vaccine is 6-8 weeks.
Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan took to Twitter regarding the decision made by the ministry. He tweeted: Gap between 2 doses of #CovishieldVaccine has been increased to 12-16 weeks from 6-8 weeks currently. Decision has been taken based on recommendations given by COVID working group after analysing emerging evidence.
Four months into the Covid-19 vaccination drive, the Union government has extended the gap between two doses of Covishield to 12-16 weeks from six to eight weeks. The move is based on additional data, particularly real life experience of the UK showing increased advantage with higher interval between shots, the health ministry said on Thursday. The gap between Covishield doses, developed by AstraZeneca-Oxford University combine and manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India, was tweaked once before as well from 30 days to six to eight weeks. The increased gap comes at a time when several states are grappling with shortage of vaccine, halting the universal adult inoculation drive for the time being. But, V K Paul, member-health, Niti Aayog, said at the press briefing that India was expecting the total supply of vaccine doses to exceed 2 billion during August to December through eight different candidates.
Andhra floats global tender to procure Covid vaccine
By IANS |
Published on
Thu, May 13 2021 22:12 IST |
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Kolkata: Health workers are giving the Covishield vaccine to the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation workers during increasing numbers of COVID 19 cases at Salt Lake in Kolkata on 11 May, 2021. (Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/ IANS). Image Source: IANS News
Amaravati, May 13 : Faced with acute shortage of Covid vaccines amid a raging pandemic, the Andhra Pradesh government has decided to procure vaccines beyond the current options comprising Covishield and Covaxin.
Accordingly, a global tender has been floated by the state government, inviting proposals from various companies, asking them to respond within three weeks.