Kochi: The state received around 1.37 lakh doses of Covid vaccine on Wednesday as the first batch of Covaxin purchased directly by the state government from Bharat Biotech reached Kochi by air. As many as 30 boxes containing 1,37,580 doses of Covaxin reached Cochin International Airport (Cial) in an Indigo flight from Hyderabad.
The vaccines were received by health department officials and were shifted to the warehouse of Kerala Medical Services Corporation, the agency in charge of purchasing vaccines, at Manjummel. The vaccines will be distributed across the state as per the schedule and district-wise quantity decided by the health department on Thursday.
Also, a box containing Covishield vaccine for the Union Territory of Lakshadweep (UTL) too reached Kochi airport on Wednesday. The vaccine reached Cial in an Air India flight from Mumbai around 7pm. The vaccine box will be kept at the cold storage at Cial and will be sent to UTL on the next scheduled flight to Kavaratti.
Earlier on Monday, 3.5 lakh doses of Covishield vaccines, directly procured from Serum Institute of India, Pune had reached the state. The state government has decided to buy vaccines from manufacturers directly after the Centre announced its new vaccine policy. The central government’s contribution in small quantities was not enough, forcing the state to make the purchases directly. The plan is to buy1 crore doses of vaccine, of which 75 lakh doses will be Covishield and 25 lakhs doses of Covaxin from Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech, respectively.
13/05/21 Times of India
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