50 Lakh Covishield Doses Earmarked For Export To UK To Now Be Used For Vaccinating 18-44 Age Group In India

In a boost for the ongoing nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive, 50 lakh doses of Covishield manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) for export to the United Kingdom (UK) have now been made available for use in India, reports Times of India.

The doses will be used for vaccinating those aged between 18-44 years in 21 States and Union Territories (UTs). The development comes after SII wrote to the Union Health Ministry seeking permission for the same.

The ministry has asked the states to contact SII and initiate procurement activity promptly.

According to the report, out of the 50 lakh doses, some states have been allocated 3,50,000 doses each, others got 1,00,000 doses each, while two have been allotted 50,000 doses each based on the COVID-19 caseload.

It should be noted that earlier on 23 March, SII had reached out to the Government seeking permission to supply 50 lakh doses of Covishield to the UK under an agreement with pharmaceutical major AstraZeneca which developed the vaccine in a collaboration with the University of Oxford.