Covishield dispatch for vaccine drive a historic moment: SII

Thevaccine we are offering to the government will be given to thecommon man, the poor, vulnerable groups and healthcare workersfree of cost.The SII has the stock of 8 crore doses ready at thepresent moment, the CEO said.Currently, 1.11 crore doses of the vaccine are beingrolled out in the country and there are plans to provide 5 to6 crore more doses by February, he added.We have given priority to India.

Serum Institute of India (SII) CEOAdar Poonawalla on Tuesday said 1.11 crore doses of Covishieldvaccine are currently being rolled out in India and there areplans to provide 5 to 6 crore more doses by February even ashe described the dispatch of the vaccines for the January 16national inoculation drive a ''proud and historic'' moment.

Early Tuesday, the first consignment of the vaccinesrolled out of the SII facility in Pune for transport tovarious locations in the country.

Speaking to the select media persons at the SIIfacility, Poonawalla said the real challenge lies in takingthe vaccine to the ''common man, to the vulnerable groups ofpeople and to healthcare workers''.

''Our trucks left the SII facility early morning andnow the vaccine is being distributed in the entire country.

This is a proud and historic moment as scientists, experts andall other stake-holders took great efforts while making thisvaccine in less than a year,'' he said.

Poonawalla said the SII has offered the vaccine tothe Government of India (GoI) at a special price of Rs 200.

''This is one of the most affordable vaccines in theworld and we are offering it to the GoI at a special pricejust to support the Prime Minister's vision and to support the'aam aadami' of our country,'' he added.

He also said that once the SII get the requisitepermission, the vaccine will be made available in the privatemarket at the cost Rs 1,000.

Poonawalla further said the SII is not only providingthe vaccine in India, ''but it is also committed to provide itto other countries who are looking at India at this point''.

Covishield is developed by Oxford University andBritish-Swedish company AstraZeneca and manufactured by theSII.

A 'puja' was performed before the three temperaturecontrolled trucks rolled out of Serum Institute gates shortlybefore 5 am and moved towards the Pune airport, about 15 kmaway, from where the vaccines were flown across India.

Poonawalla further said, ''the Government of India willbuy the vaccine at the rate of Rs 200 per dose for 10 croredoses, and thereafter, the cost of the vaccine will go up. Thevaccine we are offering to the government will be given to thecommon man, the poor, vulnerable groups and healthcare workersfree of cost''.

The SII has the stock of 8 crore doses ready at thepresent moment, the CEO said.

Currently, 1.11 crore doses of the vaccine are beingrolled out in the country and there are plans to provide 5 to6 crore more doses by February, he added.

''We have given priority to India. We will provide asmany doses as the nation demands. Rest of the vaccine, we willexport. We are getting request from Saudi Arabia, Brazil,Africa, and there are COVAX partners also,'' said Poonawalla.

He also added that the SII's production capacity isbigger than the world and that is why the company is under themaximum pressure (to manufacture).

''Smaller companies are taking time to bring out thevaccines. Their supply will be scaled up in Q2 and Q3. Tillthat time, the world will be dependent on us and we will makeeveryone happy by distributing the vaccine,'' he said.

Poonawalla further said the SII will soon startexporting the vaccine to other countries.

Responding to a query on the safety of the vaccine, hesaid all COVID-19 vaccines have passed all the safetyparameters.

''DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India) will notprovide the license to a vaccine unless its efficacy andsafety are not proved. All Indian vaccines are safe,effective, and it is advisable that people should take them.

''People have the right to question but I would askpeople to study it, see the science behind it and it is alwaysadvisable that the vaccines should be taken to fight thedisease,'' he said.

Poonawalla said when the manufacturing of Covishiledstarted in March, 2020, no one predicted that the SII wouldcome out with the vaccine in less than a year.

''Generally, it takes 3 to 4 years to develop avaccine,'' he added.

''A lotof countries are writing to the PMO and Indiato supply the vaccine from SII. We are trying to keep everyonehappy but we have to take care of our people and population,''he added.