Bihar, UP among seven states to be administered ZyCoV-D vaccine first

Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are among seven states where the three dose ZyCoV-D vaccine will be administered initially.

A total of seven States - Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and, West Bengal - have been identified by the Union Health Ministry where ZyCoV-D vaccine will be used initially. The health ministry has directed these states to identify districts with high number of first dose left out for introduction of the vaccine.

The ministry has directed the states to plan sessions based on pharmajet injector and identify vaccinators to be trained for using it for vaccination. The national training for ZyCoV-D has been completed, said the ministry.

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, while reviewing the status and progress under 'Har Ghar Dastak' campaign with Health Secretaries and NHM MDs of states and UTs virtually advised the states to saturate all eligible beneficiaries with first dose and to devise targeted plans in context of doses given in August and September '21 to ensure coverage of all beneficiaries due for second dose by exponentially increasing the pace of vaccination.

Pharma major company Cadila Healthcare will supply 1 crore doses of ZyCoV-D to the Centre by this month. The Centre has already placed an initial order for one crore doses of the vaccine. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has approved ZyCoV-D for restricted use in emergency situation in the age group 12 years and above.

ZyCoV-D is the first DNA plasmid vaccine developed indigenously by the company against the Covid-19 virus. It is also the first vaccine that is needle-free and administered using PharmaJet, a needle-free applicator to ensure painless intradermal vaccine.

As per the ministry, India has administered 125 crore vaccine doses so far. Of the lot, 79.13 crore (84.3 per cent) beneficiaries have been vaccinated for first dose while 45.82 crore (49 per cent) received their second dose, as per the provisional report.

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