India likely to administer first COVID-19 vaccine soon
As the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved two coronavirus vaccines in India — Covaxin and Covishield — the country is likely to administer its first COVID-19 vaccine on January 13, a report stated on Tuesday.
According to the feedback based on the dry run of COVID-19 vaccine in India, the central government stated that it was ready to introduce COVID-19 vaccine within 10 days from date of emergency use authorisation.
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It may be recalled that Serum Institute of India's (SII) Covidshield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin were approved for emergency use on January 3.
Meanwhile, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that "We are prepared to roll out vaccine within 10 days of emergency use authorisation approvals." The final call will be taken by the government.
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"Healthcare workers and frontline workers would not need to register themselves as a beneficiary as their data is bulk database that has been populated on the Co-WIN vaccine delivery management system in a bulk manner," Bhushan added.
"There are 4 primary vaccine stores called GMSD located in Karnal, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata and there are 37 vaccine stores in the country," he said, adding that they store vaccines in bulk and distributes further.
He further said that the facility including the number of vaccines stored and temperature trackers is monitored digitally. We have this facility for over a decade in the country, he said.
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-PTC News
