Trucks with 478 boxes of vaccines exit Serum Institute

Four days ahead of the nationwide vaccination drive begins, the first consignment of Covishield vaccines left the Serum Institute of India for Pune airport from where it will be airlifted to different locations.

The vaccines were transported in three temperature-controlled trucks, which left the Serum Institute shortly before 5 am after a prayer ceremony at the Manjari facility.
 

Media reports said that the Coronavirus vaccines were moved in 478 boxes, each of which weighs around 32kg.

From Pune, the vaccines will be airlifted to Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Karnal, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guwahati, Lucknow, Chandigarh and Bhubaneswar.
 

The consignment for Mumbai will leave by road. Trucks belonging to Kool-ex Cold Chain Limited are being used to ferry the vaccine stocks from Serum Institute.
 

The Central government had yesterday placed orders in advanced commitments for over six crore doses of vaccines from Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech.

Serum Institute had earlier indicated that it would price the vaccine at Rs 200 per dose for the first 100 million doses it supplies to the government. For the private market, however, the vaccine would cost around Rs 1,000 per dose.
 

The initial order will be meant for three crore healthcare and frontline workers in the first phase of the nationwide vaccination drive beginning January 16.
 

In the second stage, those above 50 years of age, and those below 50 years of age with comorbidities or with a high risk of infection, will be vaccinated.