After Covishield, first batch of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin arrives in Delhi

A day after Serum Institute of India's Covishield was transported to 13 different cities in India from Pune, a consignment of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin from Hyderabad has landed at the Delhi airport.

The consignment from Bharat Biotech was carried by Air India on AI 559 from Hyderabad to Delhi on Wednesday at 0640 hours.

On Tuesday, the first consignment of COVID-19 vaccine 'Covishield' arrived at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport from Pune.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra has received over 9 lakh lakhs doses of COVID-19 vaccine 'Covishield' from SII.

Covishield and Covaxin, the two COVID-19 vaccines which have received Emergency Use Authorisation (EAU) have been tested on thousands of people and side-effects are negligible, Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, said on Tuesday adding that the two "are safest of the vaccines".

"Both the vaccines (Covishield and Covaxin) have been authorized for emergency use and there should be no doubt about their safety. They have been tested on thousands of people and side-effects are negligible. There is no risk of any significance," Dr Paul said at a press conference.

The first phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive is scheduled to start from January 16.

Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that the Central government is having close collaboration with states and union territories for vaccine roll-out. "All preparations are on track for vaccine roll-out from January 16," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said around 3 crore healthcare workers and frontline workers will be vaccinated in the first phase of vaccination.

"In the second phase, those above 50 years and those under 50 years with co-morbid conditions will be vaccinated," he added.

(With agency inputs)