Maha has received 9.63 lakh Covishield vaccine doses: Tope

The Maharashtra government hasreceived 9.63 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine from SerumInstitute of India (SII), health minister Rajesh Tope said onTuesday.

The inoculation drive against coronavirus will be heldat 511 centres across 36 districts of the state, he said, asthe first consignments of vaccine left SII in Pune earlier inthe day.

''The necessary arrangement of electricity, Internetand webcasting service has been made at all these centres,''Tope said in a release.

''The state government has so far compiled a databaseof 7.84 lakh medical workers including doctors, nurses andother staff who has been more exposed to COVID-19 patients(than others). The registration drive on state government'sportal (for those who will be vaccinated in the first phase)will continue till Tuesday midnight,'' he said.

The first consignment of Covishield vaccines left forDelhi on Tuesday morning, four days ahead of the nationwideinoculation drive launch.

Four airlines are operating nine flights to transport56.5 lakh doses of the vaccine from Pune to 13 cities acrossthe country.