Gujarat to receive first consignment of 2.76 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday

AHMEDABAD: The first consignment of 2,76,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine 'Covidshield' will arrive in Ahmedabad from Pune on Monday.

D Patel, Additional Director, Family Welfare, Gujarat Government said that 2.76 lakh doses of the vaccines will be given to Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Bhavnagar zones. Vaccination will begin at 287 session sites from January 16.

"First consignment of COVID-19 vaccine to arrive in Ahmedabad today. 2.76 lakh doses arriving here today will be given to Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Bhavnagar zones. Vaccination will begin at 287 session sites from January 16," he said.

It is to mention that Air India is carrying the first consignment from Pune to Ahmedabad.

"Air India is all set to play a pivotal role in vaccination mission, carrying the first consignment of 2,76,000 vaccine doses weighing 700 kilograms approx from Pune to Ahmedabad today," said an official statement of the airline company.

Meanwhile, amid tight security, three trucks carrying the very first consignment of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine reached Pune airport to be flown to 13 locations across the country today.

The Serum Institute of India (SII) has received a purchase order from the Government of India for 11 million doses of Covishield vaccine, which would be available at the price of Rs 200 per dose, SII officials had said on Monday.

The first phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive in the country is starting from January 16, the Union Health Ministry had said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said around 3 crore healthcare workers and frontline workers will be vaccinated in the first phase of vaccination.

"In the second phase, those above 50 years and those under 50 years with co-morbid conditions will be vaccinated," he has informed.