Every Indian Will Get Free Coronavirus Vaccine in 73 Days: 4 Things You Should Know About ‘Covishield’ [Updated]

Update: Serum Institute has denied that Indians will be able to get free vaccine for coronavirus in the next 73 days. But have confirmed that Phase-3 trials for Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine are underway.

Earlier..

In a big development, Govt has placed an order with Serum Institute for procuring free vaccines for all Indians.

And this process will start in the next 73 days.

Here are 4 things you should know about free vaccination program for all Indians, to eradicate coronavirus forever.

Free Vaccination Program For Coronavirus: 5 Things You Should Know

Govt Places Order For Free Vaccine

As per reports coming in, Govt of India has placed an initial order for 68 crore vaccines, which will be procured from Serum Institute in Pune.

Serum is world’s biggest vaccine maker, and they have the capability to make 150 crore vaccines a year.

Free Vaccine Will Be Provided For All Indians

Indian Govt has made plans to provide free vaccines for all Indians, under National Immunisation Programme. Every vaccine provided under National Immunisation Programme is free for al Indian citizens.

As per reports coming in, commercial sales and procurement of free vaccine will start in the next 73 days, hence, from October onwards, Indian citizens will start getting the free vaccine.

Earlier reports had predicted that doctors and healthcare workers will be the ones to receive the vaccine first.

Phase 3 Trial Already Started

Serum Institute has already started phase 3 of human trial. Around 1600 people from Pune and Mumbai in Maharashtra, and Ahmedabad in Gujarat have been administered this vaccine made by Serum Institute.

A senior official from Serum Institute said that Govt has provided a “special manufacturing priority license’ and fast-tracked the trial protocol processes to get the trials completed in 58 days.”

He also said, “By this, the first dosing will take place today [Saturday] in the final phase [Phase III] and the second dosing will happen after 29 days. The final trial report will be out in another 15 days from the second dosing. By that time, we are planning to commercialise Covishield,”

What Is This Vaccine Called?

The vaccine which will be provided for free in India is called ‘Covishield’, and Serum Institute is manufacturing it under license from Oxford University and Astra-Zeneca, which is one of the biggest medicine makers from Europe.

Besides India, Serum will be developing this vaccine for 92 other nations, under the agreement and deal with Oxford and Astra-Zeneca.

The company said that they have entered into an “exclusive agreement with Astra Zeneca to buy rights and pay a royalty fee for exclusively selling it in India and 92 other countries”.