The union government will supply 191.99 lakh doses of Covishield and Covaxin to the states and UTs, free of cost during the 16-31 May 2021 fortnight. This will include 162.5 lakh of Covishield and 29.49 lakh of Covaxin. The allocation of the union government supplies to the state and UT is decided on the consumption pattern and beneficiary load for the second doses during the upcoming fortnight, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said.

“The delivery schedule for this allocation will be shared in advance. States have been requested to direct the officials concerned to ensure rational and judicious utilisation of allocated doses and minimise the vaccine wastage, MoHFW added.

The Ministry also said that the basic objective behind informing the states/UTs in advance of the quantum of free vaccine doses to be made available from the union government for 15 days is to ensure that they prepare effective plans for judicious and optimum utilisation of these free vaccine doses which are meant for the age group 45 and above, and for HCWs and FLWs.

MoHFW also informed that in the previous fortnight 1-15 May 2021, a total quantum of more than 1.7 crore vaccine doses has been made available by the union government to states, free of cost. In addition, a total quantum of more than 4.39 crore doses were also available for direct procurement by the states as well as private hospitals in the month of May 2021.

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Meanwhile, the cumulative count of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country is nearly 18 Crore (17.93 Crore, as per the 7 am provisional report today), the Ministry said.

The Covid-19 vaccination drive has completed 118 days wherein 17.89 crore doses have been administered to the identified beneficiaries through collaborative efforts of all states/UTs. India is the fastest country globally to reach the 17 crore target in 114 days. The US took 115 days and China took 119 days to administer the same amount of doses.

The ‘Liberalized Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy’ is being implemented from 1 May 2021 wherein 50% of the available doses are earmarked for supply to states/UTs, as free of cost supply from the union government channel, while the remaining 50% is available for direct procurement from the vaccine manufacturers by states/UTs and private hospitals.

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