The first consignment of COVID-19 vaccine arrived at Hyderabad from Pune's Serum Institute on Tuesday. The SpiceJet flight carrying the Covishield vaccine landed at around 11:30 am at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. From there, it was taken by road in a cold storage unit to the Directorate of Public Health of Telangana building--the state vaccine facility at Koti campus.
The consignment carrying 3.64 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine was transported by a team led by the Director of Public Health, Dr G Srinivasa Rao. A total of 31 boxes each weighing 32 kilograms each containing 1200 vials of Covishield reached the city for further distribution ahead of the roll-out on January 16. Each vial will further contain 10 doses of the vaccine.
The state immunization center was secured with forces from the local police station as well as armed reserves. It was opened after a prayer from representatives of all religions.
Telangana will administer the vaccine for COVID-19 at 139 centres on January 16. Along with 3.64 lakh doses of the Covishield vaccine, 20 thousand doses of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin too will be given in the first round of administration, confirmed Dr G Srinivasa Rao. Close to 2 lakh healthcare workers will be given the vaccine injections first after which other frontline warriors will be immunised.
On Tuesday morning, three trucks carrying 478 boxes of Covishield left from Pune to 13 destinations across the country. The cities receiving the vaccine on tuesday include Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Vijayawada, Guwahati and Kolkata. Two cargo flights and six other regular commercial flights carried the vaccines to destinations across the country. Elaborate security arrangements were made to ensure safe and smooth transport of the vaccines. The Covishield vaccine is priced at Rs 220 for one dose including taxes.
On Tuesday evening, the first consignment of the Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin will go out from Hyderabad to 11 destinations. Bharat Biotech will provide 55 lakh doses of the vaccine Covaxin each priced at Rs 295 per dose. In the first consignment, 38.5 lakh doses will be provided and in the second round, of the 16.5 doses