Highlights
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan urged states to first focus more on second dose COVID-19 vaccinations.
While 13.66 crore people have been administered the first dose, the second dose has been administered to only 3.86 crore.
The Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech have submitted their production plan for the next four months to the central government.
New Delhi: Due to the acute shortage of COVID-19 vaccines in the country, many states have temporarily suspended the vaccination drive for the people in the age group of 18 to 44 and have directed the available stock of doses for the above-45 age group.
Maharashtra on Wednesday (May 12, 2021) decided to suspend its third phase of vaccination drive, while Delhi also temporarily shut Covaxin administering centres for people in the age group of 18 to 44 years as it has run out of stock.
The order will also be applicable for those who have already booked appointment slots for vaccines.
BENGALURU: Following severe shortage of vaccines and supply constraints, Karnataka government on Wednesday night decided to suspend vaccination drive for the 18-44 age group at government facilities from May 14 until further notice. Private hospitals, however, will continue administering vaccine doses for all age groups.
The government, in a statement, said that it decided to utilize the existing stock of vaccines for those in the 45-plus age group and due for their second dose. There is a dearth of vaccines. Hence, we re considering holding off the vaccination drive temporarily for the 18-44 age group, the statement added.
Highlights
Bharat Biotech to set up a new plant of Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Corporation Limited (BIBCOL) in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr.
This new PSU will manufacture 2 crore doses of Covaxin every month.
The central government will provide Rs 30 crore to BIBCOL for this project.
Lucknow: As states face an acute shortage of COVID-19 vaccines, the central government on Wednesday (May 12, 2021) approved the proposal of Bharat Biotech to set up a new plant of Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Corporation Limited (BIBCOL) in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr.
As per News18 reports this new PSU will manufacture 2 crore doses of Covaxin every month and the central government will provide Rs 30 crore to BIBCOL for this project.
The sources said the Union Health Ministry and the office of Drugs Controller General of India had sought from both the firms their production plan for June, July, August and September.
Amid multiple states reporting a shortage of COVID-19 vaccine, Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech have submitted to the Centre their production plan for the next four months, informing they can ramp it up to 10 crore and 7.8 crore doses respectively by August, official sources said on Wednesday The sources said the Union Health Ministry and the office of Drugs Controller General of India had sought from both the firms their production plan for June, July, August and September. The Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech s indigenously developed Covaxin and Oxford-AstraZeneca s Covishield, being manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India, are currently being used in India s inoculation drive against coronavirus.