Covid-19 Vaccine India Update: Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawala said on Saturday that his company has applied to start a trial of the new COVID-19 vaccine. He said that the company hopes to launch this vaccine by June 2021. The company based in Pune has previously produced the Kovishield vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford and the British Swedish company AstraZeneca.
Our partnership for a COVID-19 vaccine with @Novavax has also published excellent efficacy results. We have also applied to start trials in India. Hope to launch #COVOVAX by June 2021!
– Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) January 30, 2021
Central government buys 11 million doses of Kovishield vaccine
The central government has purchased 11 million doses of Covishield vaccine for the current vaccination campaign. Adar Poonawala said in a tweet that his agreement with Novavax for the COVID-19 vaccine has resulted in great potential. He has also applied to start trials in India. COVOVAX is expected to be launched by June 2021.
The country has launched its COVID-19 vaccination campaign from January 16. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called it the world’s largest vaccination program, in which about three crore health and frontline workers will be given priority. So far, more than 33 lakh healthcare workers have been vaccinated this month. Now the central government has issued a directive to all states to vaccinate the frontline workers along with the remaining health workers in the first week of February. The Indian Express quoted health ministry officials as saying that the Co-Win system developed by the government has stabilized, that is, the number of registered people is increasing at a steady pace.