Centre plans to procure 50 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine in 1st order

The central government has been planning the initial procurement of around 50 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine for the front-line health workers, army personnel, and other various categories of individuals.

The government has already started the discussion on the prioritisation of the COVID-19 vaccine once it passes the regulatory requirements and becomes available. The planning of the supply chains and distribution of the vaccine is also being discussed.

The administration has also been intending to scale up the distribution so that it can cover a large section of the population as soon as possible. In a recent development, the government had announced that the corona warriors will be the first ones to get the COVID-19 vaccine after its launch.

India to get its COVID-19 vaccine soon:

The research for the estimates of the assured market has also been done by the government as more than one shot is likely to be developed around the same time perhaps with a gap of few weeks by the end of 2020 or early 2021.

On the basis of this, local vaccine manufacturers have already been assured that a large demand for the COVID-19 vaccine is to be estimated.

The estimated market for the COVID-19 vaccine:

The expert group of COVID-19 vaccine administration in the country, headed by VK Paul, NITI Aayog member, and Rajesh Bhushan, Health Secretary, in their meeting with the major vaccine developers, have asked the companies to submit their proposals detailing the capacities for price ranges, manufacturing, and suggestions on how the government can support them

As per the senior executive from one of the local vaccine manufacturers, as vaccine development takes a huge investment and we also have to dedicate some of our capacities to ramp up the production of vaccines, which is why the centre must indicate the assured market.

COVID-19 vaccine candidates in India:

Presently, there are three COVID-19 vaccine candidates in India who are undergoing human trials in India.

• Serum Institute of India, Pune has been conducting phases 2 and 3 of human clinical trials for the Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccine candidate.

• Vaccine candidates of Bharat Biotech- ICMR and Zydus Cadila. They both have been doing the early phase 1 and 2 human clinical trials of their vaccine candidates at present.

• The government has also been eyeing the Oxford vaccine candidate which has been showing promise in the early phases of trials conducted in the UK. It is likely to be the first COVID-19 vaccine to secure regulatory approvals in India.