The Government of India has placed fresh orders for a total of 44 crore new vaccine doses, according to a press statement released on 8 June, Tuesday.
The Union Health Ministry has placed an order for 25 crore doses of Covishield vaccine and 19 crore doses of Covaxin.
The vaccine doses will be available starting now, until December 2021.
This development comes a day after the Prime Minister announced a return to the policy of a centralised vaccination programme for the country.
“In immediate follow-up of the Prime Minister’s announcement of these changes in the guidelines of national COVID vaccination programme yesterday (Tuesday), the Union Health Ministry has placed an order with Serum Institute of India for 25 crore doses of Covishield and with Bharat Biotech for 19 crore doses of Covaxin.”Press Release
The government has released 30% of the advance payment to SII and Bharat Biotech for the procurement of the vaccines.
The Centre had also clinched a deal with Hyderabad-based drug maker Biological E for the purchase of 30 crore COVID-19 vaccine shots on 3 June last week. These vaccine doses will be available from August.
No Data To Show Second Wave Will Affect Children: AIIMS Chief
Amid several reports suggesting that an imminent third wave of COVID-19 in the country will be more dangerous for children, who have not yet been included in the country's vaccination programme, Dr Randeep Guleria has issued a statement negating the speculation.
“It is a piece of misinformation that subsequent waves of the COVID-19 pandemic are going to cause severe illness in children. There is no data – either from India or globally – to show that children will be seriously infected in subsequent waves,” Dr Guleria, Director of AIIMS Delhi said during a press conference on 8 June, Tuesday.
He further indicated that 60% to 70% of the children who were infected during the second wave of the pandemic in India and had to be admitted to the hospital, were those who suffered from comorbidities or low immunity.
Healthy children experienced mild illness and did not need hospital admission for treatment, Dr Guleria said.
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