New Delhi, India

Amid a rise in Covid cases in several countries, official sources on Wednesday said that the Serum Institute of India (SII) has offered 20 million coronavirus vaccines, Covishield, free of cost to the central government. The source said that the Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs at the Serum Institute, Prakash Kumar Singh, has in written offered the vaccine doses worth Rs 420 Crore ($50 million) free of cost to the Indian government, PTI reported.  

Advertisment

Also read | India’s PM visits mother at Ahmedabad hospital; her condition is stable, say doctors

SII has previously provided vaccines to the government in its campaigns. Till now, the SII has provided over 170 crores (1.7 billion) doses of Covishield to the government. 

It is believed that Singh has sought to know how to deliver the doses. 

Advertisment

The Indian government is on alert and has asked states and Union Territories to be prepared amid a rise in Covid cases in countries including China and South Korea.

The government has increased its surveillance and is genome sequencing Covid positive cases.

It made random Covid testing mandatory on Saturday for two per cent of travellers arriving on each international flight.

Advertisment

Also read | Delhi government school teachers to be stationed at airport on Covid duty

With only 27 per cent of Indians eligible to take precautionary doses, officials have urged to those due for it to take it. 

Officials sources have also listed that the next 40 days are crucial for India as it might see a spike in coronavirus cases in January. 

Health Ministry sources said that even if there is a wave in India, deaths and hospitalisations will be very low. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya have held meetings to assess India's preparedness for a surge in cases. 

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE