People will not be allowed to choose the vaccine: Government
The government has announced that the people will not be allowed to choose the vaccine. Both vaccine candidates have won approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI).
But the Covaxin is still in Phase 3 trials. It has been revealed that the people will not be allowed to choose between the Serum Institute of India’s Covishield, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca Plc., or Bharat Biotech International’s Covaxin, which was developed with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that several countries in the world are using more than one Covid-19 vaccine and none of these countries offer an option to the beneficiary on the vaccine they want to take. Recipients will get two doses of a vaccine four weeks apart. Dr Balram Bhargava, director general of ICMR said the current recommendations are very clear that it will be given at day zero and at day 28, four weeks apart, and as has been pointed out, the effect will come after two weeks. He added that at the moment they are just considering 0 to 28 days and focus on that.
He said “Few studies show that it can be given up to six weeks apart, and some countries are also discussing whether it can be given at a bigger gap but at the moment we would like to stick to four weeks, and would like our first phase of vaccination to be at four weeks till more knowledge is attained,â€
The government will procure vacancies in phases though both vaccine providers are equipped with vials to give shot for 30 million front line workers in the country. Following which concentration will be on 270 million people aged above 50 and high risk category. The Indian government has procured 11 million doses of Covishield from Serum Institute at a cost of ₹200 per dose, exclusive of taxes and from Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, in 5.5 million doses, of which 1.65 million doses are being procured free of cost, and the remaining 3.85 million doses are being purchased at a cost of ₹295 per dose, exclusive of taxes, making the net cost of a Covaxin dose ₹206 per dose.
Bhushan said prices are revealed to stop misinformed discussions on this. Preparations are in full swing for the launch of the vaccination drive across the country on January 16. Around 30 virtual meetings have been held between the Centre and states to review preparations. He added that the central government is closely monitoring the vaccination as several people are being trained to work on the process. The government has trained 2,360 master trainers, who in turn have trained 61,000 programme managers, 200,000 vaccinators and 370,000 other vaccination team members so far.
Bhushan said, "Each vaccination team will have five members, of which there will be one vaccinator. The four other team members also need to be adequately trained which is why so many people had to be trained for the launch. This exercise will last may be for beyond one year."
The first dozes of vaccine has reached Coimbatore today.
But the Covaxin is still in Phase 3 trials. It has been revealed that the people will not be allowed to choose between the Serum Institute of India’s Covishield, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca Plc., or Bharat Biotech International’s Covaxin, which was developed with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that several countries in the world are using more than one Covid-19 vaccine and none of these countries offer an option to the beneficiary on the vaccine they want to take. Recipients will get two doses of a vaccine four weeks apart. Dr Balram Bhargava, director general of ICMR said the current recommendations are very clear that it will be given at day zero and at day 28, four weeks apart, and as has been pointed out, the effect will come after two weeks. He added that at the moment they are just considering 0 to 28 days and focus on that.
He said “Few studies show that it can be given up to six weeks apart, and some countries are also discussing whether it can be given at a bigger gap but at the moment we would like to stick to four weeks, and would like our first phase of vaccination to be at four weeks till more knowledge is attained,â€
The government will procure vacancies in phases though both vaccine providers are equipped with vials to give shot for 30 million front line workers in the country. Following which concentration will be on 270 million people aged above 50 and high risk category. The Indian government has procured 11 million doses of Covishield from Serum Institute at a cost of ₹200 per dose, exclusive of taxes and from Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, in 5.5 million doses, of which 1.65 million doses are being procured free of cost, and the remaining 3.85 million doses are being purchased at a cost of ₹295 per dose, exclusive of taxes, making the net cost of a Covaxin dose ₹206 per dose.
Bhushan said prices are revealed to stop misinformed discussions on this. Preparations are in full swing for the launch of the vaccination drive across the country on January 16. Around 30 virtual meetings have been held between the Centre and states to review preparations. He added that the central government is closely monitoring the vaccination as several people are being trained to work on the process. The government has trained 2,360 master trainers, who in turn have trained 61,000 programme managers, 200,000 vaccinators and 370,000 other vaccination team members so far.
Bhushan said, "Each vaccination team will have five members, of which there will be one vaccinator. The four other team members also need to be adequately trained which is why so many people had to be trained for the launch. This exercise will last may be for beyond one year."
The first dozes of vaccine has reached Coimbatore today.