'COVID-19 vaccine likely to reach open market by year-end,' says AIIMS Director

AIIMS Director Dr. Randeep Guleria on Wednesday received the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine shot hoping that the vaccine would be made available to the general public before the year ends. The AIIMS Director however stated that this was subject to the equivalence of supply-demand. 

"The vaccine will be available in the open market only when prime targets-people to be vaccinated-are covered and there's an equivalence of supply-demand. Hopefully, there'd be such a situation by year-end or before that. Then there would be a likelihood of vaccine to come to open market," said Dr. Randeep Guleria. 

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India's COVID-19 vaccination drive 

India launched its Covid-19 vaccination program, the world's largest inoculation drive on January 16 using two 'Made in India' vaccines of the Serum Institue of India (Covishield) and Bharat Biotech (Covaxin). Under the first phase of the vaccination, the country worked towards vaccinating healthcare and frontline workers. 

Over 59,35,275 healthcare workers and 21,17,179 frontline workers have taken the vaccine so far. In all, India has administered 87,40,595 doses of the vaccine to approximately 80-85% of frontline workers. The first round of the vaccination will be completed in the country by February 25. Under the second phase of the vaccination drive, which is expected to kick-off in March, people above 50, or those with co-morbidities are expected to be vaccinated. Approximately 20-25 countries have also availed India's COVID-19 vaccines.

Along with the vaccination, as per the data shared by the Union Health Ministry, the coronavirus cases in India have been on a continuous downtrend. On Wednesday, India reported 11,610 fresh cases and 100 deaths in 24 hours. With active cases falling below 1.4 lakhs, Kerala and Maharashtra with 61,550 and 37,383 active cases respectively account for 72% of the total active cases in the country. 

Read: No Death Or Severe Case Has Been Attributable To Covid Vaccine Till Date: Health Ministry

Read: India's Administers 87,40,595 COVID-19 Vaccine Doses; Active Cases Fall Below 1.4 Lakhs

(With Agency Inputs)