Telangana yet to use Covaxin; inoculation underway in 324 sites

An official said Covaxin has not been used as the state received fewer quantities

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan holds a dose of Bharat Biotech's Covid-19 vaccine called COVAXIN. Credit: Reuters Photo

The Covid-19 vaccination programme was underway on the second day in Telangana with the government making arrangements in total 324 centres for the inoculation, a senior official of the State government said on Monday.

The official said that Serum Institute's Covishield will be administered on the second day also as Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is yet to be dispatched to the centres.

Telangana received 20,000 doses of the Covaxin as against 3.64 lakh of Covishield.

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"Today (Monday) vaccination programme will be done in 324 session sites. Each site will administer 50 people. Only Covishield will be given as Covaxin is yet to reach the sites," the official told PTI.

The Covid-19 vaccine was successfully rolled out in Telangana on Saturday with about 4,000 healthcare personnel receiving the first dose.

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State Director of Public Health G Srinivasa Rao had said the vaccination programme was started at 140 sites out of the 1,213 locations in the state.

While vaccination has been targeted to be given to 4,296 on January 16, it was administered to 3,962 people, official sources said.

Described as the world's largest inoculation drive, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched India's Covid-19 vaccination programme and asserted that the made-in- India vaccines being rolled out will ensure a "decisive victory" for the country over the coronavirus pandemic.