44 Crore Doses Ordered: Centre After Change In Covid Vaccine Policy

The 44 crore doses will be delivered between August and December 2021, the Union Health Ministry has said.

Forty-four crore doses of Covid vaccines will be made available to the country from August, the government today said amid a raging shortage that has forced a closure of vaccine centres in many states. These doses will be delivered between August and December 2021, the Union Health Ministry said. The health ministry announcement -- that orders have been placed for 25 crore doses of Covishield and 19 crore doses of Covaxin to achieve universalization of vaccination -- came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a fresh vaccine policy. The new policy takes back the onus of vaccine purchase from the states. The finance ministry said today that the new programme will cost around Rs 50,000 crore and the Centre has the necessary funds. Last week, the government said it has booked 30 crore doses of Hyderabad-based Biological-E's Covid vaccine, which is undergoing clinical trial.