Delhi on Tuesday, 12 January, received the first batch of COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, hours after Pune-based vaccine maker Serum Institute of India (SII) sent out its first consignment of the vaccine.
The first consignment of ‘Covishield’ arrived at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport from Pune and was flown by airline SpiceJet.
“SpiceJet has carried India’s first consignment of COVID vaccine today. The first consignment of 'Covishield', consisting of 34 boxes and weighing 1,088 kg, was carried from Pune to Delhi,” Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet told ANI.
“Delhi Airport has been working relentlessly for the smooth and timely supply of medical equipments and other relief material, from Delhi to various destinations in India,” CEO of Delhi International Airport Limited ( DIAL) Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said.
“Temperature-controlled facilities, ranging from -20 Degree Celcius to +25 Degree Celcius, at our two Cargo terminals can efficiently and safely handle these temperature sensitive vaccines. We have ‘Cool Chambers’ and ‘Cool Dollies’ to maintain the temperature required for these vaccines at the cargo terminal and during transit between aircraft and terminal or vice versa,” he said, adding that the two terminals can handle around 5.7 million vials in a day.
COVID-19 vaccine administration in India is slated to begin on 16 January.
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