Mumbai: Beginning from January 16, Maharashtra is expecting to finish vaccination of eight lakh health workers in the coming two months. Maharashtra received 9,63,000 vials of the Covishield vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII), in the first lot, at its facility centre in Pune. It will begin the distribution process once it receives a list from the central government.

“We have to give the doses twice to a person in a gap of four weeks, hence 55 per cent of the around eight lakh registered health workers will undergo vaccination as of now,” Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope was quoted as saying by PTI.

"The need of vials for Maharashtra is 17.50 lakh for the first phase. We need slightly more vials because 10 per cent wastage is expected. But, we have received 9.63 lakh vials from the Serum Institute of India," he added.

Besides, Maharashtra has also received 20,000 vials of the Bharat Biotech's Covaxin. The Centre is providing two vaccines — Covishield of Serum Institute of India (SII) and Covaxin of Bharat Biotech — permitted by the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) to battle COVID-19.

Maharashtra earlier reserved 511 vaccination centres across the state where Mumbai has 72 while Pune has reserved 55 centres for the drive.

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