New Delhi: A day after Serum Institute of India (SII) rolled out its Coronavirus vaccine, the first consignment of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin left Hyderabad today morning. The consignment is being taken to Delhi and 10 other cities across India. Speaking to ANI, the official said, “The first consignment of vaccine from Bharat Biotech is being carried by Air India on AI 559 from Hyderabad to Delhi on Wednesday at 0640 hours.”
According to reports, the first consignment consisting of three boxes was flown to Delhi by Air India. Apart from Delhi, the vaccines are being shipped to Bengaluru, Chennai, Patna, Jaipur, and Lucknow.
Covishield and Covaxin, the two COVID-19 vaccines which have received Emergency Use Authorisation (EAU) have been tested on thousands of people and side-effects are negligible, Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, said on Tuesday and noted that the two “are safest of the vaccines”. The first phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive is scheduled to start from January 16.
In the first phase, the Centre plans to vaccinate nearly 30 crore people in the first phase of the drive. Priority will be given to the healthcare and frontline workers who are estimated to be around three crores, followed by those above 50 years of age and the under-50 population with comorbidities numbering around 27 crores.
With the vaccination drive starting soon, a few recent surveys have indicated that some people are not very sure of its safety and efficacy and will probably wait for sometime before getting the vaccine dose.
Although the majority (68%) is willing to take the coronavirus vaccine as soon as its available, about a quarter (24%) of the population continues to be unsure of the vaccine efficacy, while another 8 per cent unwilling to take the shot, a survey by YouCan revealed. Among those who are willing to take the vaccine shot, safety concern looms large and two in every five (41%) said they will wait a few months before taking the coronavirus vaccine dose.