Covid: Serum Institute To Provide 2 Crore Covishield Doses To Govt Free Of Cost, Says Report

SII has given the government more than 170 million doses of Covishield for the national immunisation program.

A health worker marks a vial after inoculating a dose of the Covishield vaccine against Covid-19 coronavirus at a drive-in vaccination centre.

Source : File Photo/AFP

New Delhi: The Serum Institute of India (SII) has provided the central government with two crore free doses of the Covishield vaccine in response to an increase in COVID-19 cases in some countries, said official sources, reported news agency PTI. An official source claims that the Serum Institute's Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Prakash Kumar Singh, wrote to the Health Ministry to offer the doses worth Rs 410 crore for free.

It has been learned that Singh has inquired about the ministry's delivery procedures.

SII has given the government more than 170 million doses of Covishield for the national immunisation program.

In the midst of a spike in Coronavirus cases in certain nations, including China and South Korea, the government has sounded a caution and asked states and Union territories to plan for any possibility.

India has increased its surveillance of Covid-positive samples and genome sequencing.

Officials from the government have pleaded with those who are due for it to take it, as only 27% of eligible adults have done so.

India may experience a Covid surge in January, according to official sources on Wednesday, so the next 40 days will be crucial.

According to sources from the Health Ministry, there will be very few deaths and hospitalisations even if there is a wave.

On Saturday, the government made random coronavirus testing a requirement for 2% of international flight passengers.

Meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya were held to assess the country's readiness for a new surge in cases.

On Tuesday, health facilities across India held mock drills to assess their operational readiness to deal with an increase in COVID-19 infections.