Tamil Nadu gets 5.36 lakh Covishield doses, stage set for roll-out of COVID-19 vaccination

Chennai: Tamil Nadu on Tuesday received 5,36,500 doses of Covishield vaccine from the Serum Institute of India and 20,000 doses of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin would be available later, the state government said. As many as 307 locations have been identified across the state for administering the vaccines to priority groups including, healthcare workers from January 16.

The consignment of 53,650 Covishield vials of 10 doses each (5,36,500 doses) was brought in a private airline flight and taken to state cold storage facilities here, the health department said.

While 1,18,000 doses would be for Chennai, the remainder is set to be distributed to other districts.


"We have received 5,36,500 doses of Covishield," Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said.

Health Minister C Vijayabaskar told reporters in Viralimalai that the Covishield vials would be dispatched, with requisite cold storage amenity, to ten regional centres and then to all districts.

The state has been allotted 20,000 doses of Covaxin of Bharat Biotech and it is expected to arrive later, the Minister said adding it would thus have access to a total of 5,56,500 doses.

The vaccination drive for six lakh pre-registered beneficiaries shall start at 307 identified locations in the state adhering to the guidelines of the Central government, he said.

The pre-registered beneficiaries include a big chunk of health workers in the state, where dry runs for the vaccination programme were conducted on January 2 and 8.