Bhubaneswar: The first consignment containing vials of Covishield vaccine, Serum Institute of India’s COVID-19 vaccine, will reach Odisha Tuesday as the first consignment for the same has already been dispatched from Pune.
While the consignment of the vaccine was dispatched from Pune to several places across the country early Tuesday morning, SpiceJet airline’s Pune-Bhubaneswar cargo flight carrying Covishield is likely to arrive at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here at 4:25 pm Tuesday, it was learnt.
Notably, the state government’s technical advisor (COVID-19) Jayant Panda at a press conference here had said that the vaccines are completely safe and effective because it has been tested by the Drug Controller Controller of India (DGCI) and other regulatory authorities.
It will take two months to complete the first phase of vaccination which will be free of cost, he had informed.
In view of the vaccination programme, the Pulse Polio immunization drive scheduled to be held January 17, 18 and 19 in the state has been put on hold, it was learnt.
PNN