The report that the Centre hasn’t yet placed any new order for Covid-19 vaccines is totally untrue

New Delhi : On Monday, the union health ministry reported that the media blaming the Centre for not placing any new order for Covid-19 vaccines is ‘incorrect’ and is not proved by stating any facts.

The ministry in a statement exclaimed, “The news reports suggest that the last order placed with two vaccine makers (100 million doses with SII and 20 million doses with Bharat Biotech) was in March 2021. These media reports are completely incorrect, and are not based on facts”.

The ministry further made it clear that 8.744 crore doses of the Covishield vaccine have been received on May 3 against the 10 crore ordered.

It stated, “It is clarified that 100 per cent advance of Rs 1732.50 crore (after TDS Rs 1699.50 crore) was released to Serum Institute of India (SII) on April 28 for 11 crore doses of Covishield vaccine during May, June and July, and was received by them on April 28”.

In addition to that, Bharat Biotech India Ltd (BBIL) on April 28 received a full advance of Rs 787.50 crore (after TDS Rs 772.50 crore) for five crore Covaxin doses for the months of May, June and July.

It also stated that until May 3, they have received 0.8813 crore of Covaxin doses against the last order of 2 crore doses.

“Hence to say that fresh orders have not been placed by the government is not correct”.

It also proclaimed, “As of 2nd May 2021, Government of India has provided more 16.54 crore vaccine doses to States/UTs Free of Cost. More than 78 lakh doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered. More than 56 lakh doses, in addition, will be received by the states and UTs in the next three days”.

The ministry stated that under the Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy, the government shall continue procuring its 50 per cent of the monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) cleared vaccines and the state government shall get it for free as before.