Covishield production capacity 250-275 mn doses a month
New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI): The current vaccine production capacity of Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, is approximately 250-275 million doses per month while it is about 50-60 million doses per month for Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
Both companies have achieved close to 90 per cent of present production capacity, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply. “As communicated by the Serum Institute of India, the current monthly vaccine production capacity of Covishield is approximately 250-275 Million doses per month. “Further, as communicated by Bharat Biotech International Limited, Hyderabad, the current monthly vaccine production capacity of Covaxin is approximately 50-60 Million doses/month,” she said. In response to a separate question, Pawar said the projected population for 18 plus years according to the Registrar General of India (RGI) is 93.9 crore. To cover all eligible beneficiaries aged above 18, adequate quantity of Covid vaccine doses have been made available to states and union territories, she said. “Sufficient quantities of COVID-19 vaccine is manufactured within the country for vaccination of the eligible population. Also, Government of India has undertaken many steps to augment the domestic manufacturing capacity of COVID-19 vaccines and has accordingly, secured COVID-19 vaccines for the eligible beneficiaries as per the availability.
“The implementation of domestic vaccination program is the priority, therefore, Government of India has allowed surplus COVID-19 vaccines to be exported only after securing adequate vaccine doses for National Covid-19 Vaccination Program,” she said in the written reply.
The minister also said the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) and the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) are deliberating and considering scientific evidence related to the administration of booster doses as well as vaccination of beneficiaries aged less than 18 years.
‘SII to launch COVID vaccine for children in six months’
Serum Institute of India (SII) plans to launch a COVID-19 vaccine for children in the next six months, the company’s CEO Adar Poonawalla said on Tuesday. Participating in an industry conference, Poonawalla said the vaccine ‘Covovax’ is under trial and would offer protection to children all the way down to three years. Currently, Covishield and other COVID -19 vaccines are approved for people above the age of 18 years. “We have not seen a lot of severe disease in children. Fortunately, the panic is not there for children. However, we will be launching a vaccine in six months for children, hopefully down to the age of three,” Poonawalla said. Already, there are two companies in India who are licensed and their vaccines will be available soon, he added. “I think, yes you should take and get your children vaccinated there is no harm, these vaccines have been proven to be safe and efficacious and all of that. If you feel you want to get your children vaccinated by all means, wait for government announcements on that, and you go ahead with that. Our vaccine Covovax will be launched for children in six months,” Poonawall stated. He also said that Covovax is under trial and has shown excellent data all the way down to the age group of three years.
Poonawalla noted that there was enough data to show that the vaccines will work and protect the children against the infectious disease.
He pointed out that so far, nothing can be said about the Omicron variant as to how it would impact the children.
“I do not know what will happen with Omicron, but so far the children have not been affected very badly with this (COVID-19) virus. I think their body, cells and their lungs recover better,” he stated.
On a query about the Omicron variant, Poonawalla said there may be a rise in cases but how severe it would be in terms of disruptions and hospitalisations, nobody is in a position to predict as of now.