Now, Pfizer too refuses direct supply of Covid vaccine to Punjab

After Moderna, too has refused to supply coronavirus vaccines directly to the Punjab government, saying it only deals with the Centre. On Sunday, state officials had said US-based vaccine manufacturer Moderna had refused to send vaccines directly to Punjab, citing the company policy that it deals with the Government of India, not with any private party and state.

Punjab's nodal officer for vaccination and senior IAS officer Vikas Garg on Monday said Pfizer in its communication to the state said, "Pfizer is working with federal governments across the world to supply its COVID-19 vaccine for use in national immunisation programmes."

"Our supply agreements at this time are with national governments and supra-national organisations with allocation of doses and implementation within the country being a decision that governments take based on relevant health authority guidance. This approach Pfizer has followed across the world," the company said.

He said now the state government is hoping for a positive reply from Johnson & Johnson and manufacturers of Sputnik V.

The officer said as per Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's directions, all vaccine manufacturers were approached for direct purchase of Covid vaccines.

Earlier, Amarinder Singh had directed officials to explore possibilities of floating a global tender for the procurement of vaccines from all possible sources to ensure that people of the state are vaccinated against COVID-19 at the earliest.

The Punjab government earlier had to stop the vaccination programme at its several centres due to a shortage of vaccine doses.