Covid-19 vaccine programme to cover over 25 cr people by July 2021: Harsh Vardhan

NEW DELHI: The government plans to cover approximately 25 crore citizens by July 2021 under its Covid-19 vaccine programme, Union health minister Harsh Vardhan said on Sunday.

The government, the minister said, has set a target of receiving and utilising 400 to 500 million doses of the vaccine in this period.

"Our government is working round the clock to ensure that there is a fair and equitable distribution of vaccines, once they are ready. Our utmost priority is how to ensure vaccine for each and everybody in the country," the minister said.

The minister earlier this week had said that a Covid-19 vaccine is likely to be available by the first quarter of 2021.

Serum Institute of India has already pleged to make up to 200 million Covid-19 vaccine doses for poorer countries, including India, next year, as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and GAVI vaccines alliance have doubled their funding, the company said on Tuesday.

The extra funds will help Serum boost manufacturing of the vaccine candidates from AstraZeneca Plc and Novavax Inc, for delivery under the COVAX scheme as early as the first half of 2021.