Two districts of K’taka receive over two lakh doses of Covishield

Bengaluru/Belagavi: Two districts of Karnataka on Wednesday received 2.52 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, as Health Minister K Sudhakar said the state would soon also get 20,000 doses of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

According to the minister, the only difference between the two vaccines is Covishield has five ml of vaccine in a vial and Covaxin has 10 ml.

One vial can vaccinate 20 people.Both the vaccines will be given in the state,he said, adding that the vaccination drive will start from January 16 in line with the Centre’s guidelines. Frontline workers will get the vaccine first.

Bengaluru and Belagavi on Wednesday received 1.05 lakh and 1.47 lakh doses of Covishield from the Pune-based Serum Institute of India respectively, health officials said.

The 1.47 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines packed in 14,700 bottles had arrived in Belagavi early today, they added.

District Health Officer of Belagavi Dr Shashikant Munyal said the vaccine stock of Covishield is meant for distribution in eight districts.

‘Each bottle covers 10 dose units and will be administered twice whereas the second dose will be given after 28 days.’ ‘After administering the dose, each person will be observed for three hours and will be discharged if no side effects are noticed,’ Munyal said.

The first consignment of about 6.48 lakh doses of Covishield had arrived in Bengaluru on Tuesday.