Ready To Rollout Covid-19 Vaccine Within 10 Days From Date Of Emergency Use Approval: Health Ministry

Union Health Ministry secretary Rajesh Bhashan said "Based on feedback of dry-run, government said it is ready to introduce COVID-19 vaccine within 10 days from date of emergency use authorisation.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan. (Image: ANI)

Days after granting approval to two of the Covid-19 vaccine candidates for the restricted emergency-use authorisation for sale of their vaccine in India, the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday said that the government is ready to introduce the vaccines within 10 days. In a press briefing today, Union Health Ministry secretary Rajesh Bhushan said "Based on feedback of dry-run, government said it is ready to introduce COVID-19 vaccine within 10 days from date of emergency use authorisation." Explaining further in regards with the storage and roll-out drive in the country, Bhushan said "There are 4 primary vaccine stores called GMSD located in Karnal, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata and there are 37 vaccine stores in the country. They store vaccines in bulk and distributes further. 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." The official further told the media that 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. The statememt has two days after India's drugs regulator on Sunday approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine 'Covishield', manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed 'Covaxin' of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in India.