Covaxin's second consignment: 2.5 million more doses from Bharat Biotech factory, will arrive in 22 cities by tomorrow morning

The second consignment of 2.5 million doses of Corona vaccine Covaxin of Hyderabad-based company Bharat Biotech came out of the factory on Friday morning. It will go to 22 cities of the country including Delhi, Mumbai. This is expected to give further momentum to vaccination. Earlier on January 13, the first consignment of 2.4 lakh doses from Bharat Biotech reached 11 cities in the country. Bharat Biotech has received an order of 55 lakh doses from the Central Government. This second consignment is his second installment.

Covaxin of Bharat Biotech as well as Covishield of Serum Institute of India are being used in the vaccination started in India on 16 January.

A source associated with Bharat Biotech told news agency IANS that a second shipment of covaxin has been sent to 22 cities on Friday morning. The vaccine dose will reach its destination by Saturday morning. According to the information so far, 25,66,860 doses in 1,28,343 vials have left from the factory. There are 20 doses in every 10 ml bottle. The vaccine will arrive from Hyderabad to Government Medical Store depots located in Chennai, Karnal, Kolkata, and Mumbai. The indigenous vaccine will reach Ganaavaram, Kurukshetra, Patna, Lucknow, Guwahati, Kolkata Salt Lake, Jaipur, Gandhi Nagar, and Bhopal in Andhra Pradesh. Apart from this, some doses will also go to Delhi, Raipur, Ranchi, Thiruvananthapuram, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Pune, Bhubaneswar, and Hyderabad.

Covaxin is surrounded by controversies

Covaxin has been mired in controversies ranging from emergency approval to vaccination. The data for phase-3 trials of the vaccine was not revealed and its efficacy is not known. Trials of Phase-1 and Phase-2 reveal their safety and ability to produce immune responses. Many scientists and doctors had spoken of not applying covaxin before the efficacy data came out. Due to this, even doctors in priority groups are seen to be avoiding covaxin.

India's first indigenous corona vaccine

Covaxin is India's first indigenous corona vaccine, developed by Bharat Biotech in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV). The inactivated virus vaccine is being developed and manufactured in Bharat Biotech's BSL-3 (Biosafety Level 3) biocontainment facility.

Covishield will leave for Myanmar, Seychelles, and Mauritius

The consignment from Corona Vaccine Covishield's Serum Institute of India (SII) will leave for Myanmar, Seychelles, and Mauritius. It reached Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai on Friday morning. 15 lakh doses of Myanmar, 1 lakh doses of Mauritius, and 50 thousand doses of seashells. Earlier, India's Foreign Ministry had announced to send vaccine doses for Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, and Seychelles from Wednesday. This vaccine is being sent based on Neighborhood First Policy ie First Neighbor Policy.