Four days ahead of the nationwide inoculation drive launch, the Covishield vaccines started to head towards state capitals from the Serum Institute in Pune. The initial consignment reached Chennai airport around 10:30 am on Tuesday. The consignment will have 5.56 lakh vaccines, Tamil Nadu Health secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan said. He further said that these vaccines will then be dispersed to 10 other cold storage units across the State.

The Central government on Monday placed firm orders in advanced commitments for over six crore doses of vaccines from Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech for inoculating three crore healthcare and frontline workers in the first phase of the nationwide vaccination drive beginning January 16. Accordingly, three temperature-controlled trucks rolled out of the Serum Institute gates shortly before 5 am and left for Pune airport, from where the vaccines were flown across India.

Earlier yesterday, Radhakrishnan said six lakh healthcare workers will be vaccinated in the first phase of the drive. The initial shots will be given to frontline workers (including doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff). The entire first phase of vaccination is likely to be completed in 2-3 weeks time.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is expected to launch the COVID-19 vaccine drive in TN from Madurai on January 16.

WATCH: