Special flights, police escort: States receive first batch of Covid-19 vaccines

The first consignment of the Covishield vaccine arrived at F/s ward Mumbai at Parel from Pune. As many as 1.39 lakh doses have been stored in the facility. About half a crore doses of Serum Institute of India's Covishield vaccine were shipped out of Pune to cities across India on Tuesday as the country launched its final phase of preparations for the mass inoculation drive against the novel coronavirus, that begins Saturday.

Updated: January 13, 2021 16:04 IST

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The first consignment of the Covishield vaccine arrived at F/s ward Mumbai at Parel from Pune. As many as 1.39 lakh doses have been stored in the facility. About half a crore doses of Serum Institute of India's Covishield vaccine were shipped out of Pune to cities across India on Tuesday as the country launched its final phase of preparations for the mass inoculation drive against the novel coronavirus, that begins Saturday.

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Officials with Covid-19 vaccine boxes, which arrived in Mumbai early Wednesday morning.

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An inside photo of the temporary storage facility where the Covid-19 vaccine is kept in Parel, Mumbai.

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The first consignment of 2.64 lakh doses of the vaccine took off for Delhi on a SpiceJet flight soon after 8 am, landing in the national capital a little before 10 am. Authorities at Delhi airport, which was the first to receive the shipment from Pune, said the two cargo terminals, which have temperature-controlled facilities ranging from minus 20 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius, can handle 57 lakh vials of the vaccine per day.

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The first lot of Covid-19 vaccine reached GMSH Sector 16, Chandigarh on Tuesday.

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"The vaccine consignments were transported in the belly of scheduled passenger flights on Tuesday. Since these were the initial shipments, the quantity was less, and could, therefore, be accommodated in passenger flights. Going ahead, there could be a requirement for freighter aircraft,” an executive with one of the airlines said.

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Asked how the government was deciding how many doses would go to each state, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said this information “will be shared”. Dr V K Paul, NITI Aayog’s Member, Health, said: “It is being done. When we come out with this, we will let you know.”

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Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh offering Puja and before flagging off first covid vaccine lot after receiving it at the Lucknow airport on Tuesday.