Govt sharply cuts projected availability of COVID-19 vaccine doses by 81 cr for Aug-Dec

The Central government has brought down the production and availability estimates of COVID-19 vaccine in India during August-December 2021 from 216 crore doses to 135 crore in less than two months' time.  

While the government had in a press conference on May 13 said the supply of eight different vaccines that are in various stages of development and production at that time can cumulatively account for 216 crore doses during the August-December period, it has revised the list and cut down the production expectations to 135 crore doses from five COVID-19 vaccines in an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court on June 26.

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The yet to be developed vaccines that were taken off the list now are the ones to be produced through a Serum Institute of India (SII)-Novavax tie-up, Bharat Biotech's nasal COVID-19 vaccine, and Gennova's mRNA vaccine. The government had earlier estimated that the three vaccines will account for 36 crore doses - 20 crore, 10 crore, and 6 crore jabs respectively - by December end.  

The government affidavit has also reduced the number of doses that are expected from the three major vaccine suppliers that have obtained emergency marketing approval in the Indian market. 

While 50 crore doses of Covishield are now expected to be available instead of the 75 crore estimated earlier, estimate of Covaxin doses has come down from earlier 55 crore to 40 crore. 

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The government now says it expects 10 crore doses of the Sputnik V vaccine to be available instead of 15.6 crore expected in May. The production estimates for the sub-unit COVID-19 vaccine of Biological E and Zydus Cadila's DNA vaccine remain the same at 30 crore and 5 crore respectively.

As in the case of May estimates, the government has said that in addition to these numbers, it is also trying to procure vaccines available outside India such as vaccines of Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, etc. 

"It is submitted that for the purpose of procurement of these vaccines from abroad, efforts are ongoing at the level of the highest political executive in the country and also at the highest diplomatic level. It is submitted that since these efforts are at a very advanced stage, it is neither desirable nor possible to give comprehensive details of these facts. As and when these efforts materialise, the speed of vaccination will be further augmented and enhanced", the affidavit said.