SII can supply 470 million Covid vaccine doses and Biotech 120 million by August: Dr V K Paul

Across the country, the cumulative Covid-19 vaccine doses are nearing 5 crore and more than 2 crore beneficiaries are aged over 60 years, according to data from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

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Across the country, the cumulative Covid-19 vaccine doses are nearing 5 crore and more than 2 crore beneficiaries are aged over 60 years. (File)

The supply of Covid-19 vaccines from Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech could increase by July-August, according to Professor V K Paul, member (health) NITI Aayog. “The SII manufactures 60 million doses per month and can be in a position to supply 470 million doses by August,” Paul said on Tuesday.

Across the country, the cumulative Covid-19 vaccine doses are nearing 5 crore and more than 2 crore beneficiaries are aged over 60 years, according to data from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Responding to a query on the 90 per cent use of Covishield vis a vis Covaxin, Paul said this disparity pertained mainly to a supply issue. “Covaxin hesitancy has melted to a large extent and has fewer side effects,” he said.

“We know that both SII and Bharat Biotech have a finite capacity and both are trying to increase production. There has to be a systematic increase in vaccinations and Bharat Biotech should also be able to supply 120-130 million doses of Covaxin by August,” he said.

Paul was addressing queries on the Covid-19 vaccination programme, hesitancy, production capacity at manufacturing firms and whether India was meeting targets, at the online annual conference of the Sun Pharma Science Foundation on Covid-19 in India. The conference was coordinated by Prof Shahid Jameel, director, Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, Sonepat, Haryana.

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“In a single day (March 22), we were able to vaccinate three million people. We are on track,” Paul said. It has been nine weeks since the vaccination programme began and in the first phase, the aim is to cover the vulnerable population, Paul said, responding to a query on whether India is woefully short of adhering to vaccination targets.

But he raised concerns over vaccine hesitancy among senior citizens. “There was an eagerness earlier but there are some reports about vaccine hesitancy in this group. More vaccines will be rolled out by June-July and the pace is picking up. We need to wait and watch and yes, we will deliver,” Paul said.

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Dr Ravi Wankhedkar, former national president of the Indian Medical Association, has urged the central government to rework the vaccination strategy and encourage vaccination on demand for eligible people, high risk people, frontline workers in all fields and those interacting with large numbers every day who are exposed to risk of infection. “Allow companies, organisations and firms to vaccinate their workforce,” Wankhedkar told The Indian Express. “Seven per cent of districts in the country have nearly 60 per cent cases and so, a massive vaccination drive should be undertaken in mission mode,” he said.

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Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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