Rise in COVID cases: Serum Institute restarts manufacturing of Covishield

Written by Ruchika Sharma Published On 2023-04-13T14:15:39+05:30 | Updated On 13 April 2023 2:15 PM IST

Rise in COVID cases: Serum Institute restarts manufacturing of Covishield

New Delhi: Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla on Wednesday said it has restarted manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccine Covishield amid rising numbers of cases of the virus infection. He said the company already has six million booster doses of Covovax vaccine available and adults must take the booster shot.

Reacting to reports of COVID-19 vaccines shortage, he said manufacturers are ready but there has been no demand.

"Just as a precaution, at risk we have done it so that people have a Covishield as a choice if they want it," Poonawalla told a news agency on restarting of manufacturing of the vaccine. The company had stopped manufacturing of Covishield in December 2021.

Read also: Revise Phase II/III CT protocol of Yellow Fever Vaccine Live: CDSCO Panel Tells Serum Institute of India

On Covovax which has been approved as a booster dose for 18-years and above, he said, "We have six million doses ready but the demand is exactly zero."

Covovax booster is now on the CoWin app, he said. Covovax is manufactured through technology transfer from Novavax.

Read also: SII to establish Dr Cyrus Poonawalla Centre of Excellence in Infectious Diseases and Pandemic Preparedness at Hyderabad

Serum Institute of India was founded in 1966 by Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla. The company is now the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by number of doses produced and sold globally (more than 1.5 billion doses) which includes Polio vaccine, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hib, BCG, r-Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps, Rubella as well as Pneumococcal and Covid-19 vaccines. Vaccines manufactured by the Serum Institute are accredited by the World Health Organization, Geneva and are being used in around 170 countries across the globe in their national immunization programs. The company has modern laboratories with high-tech machinery and computerized equipment for the production and testing of its life saving biologicals.

Read also: Serum Institute Covovax likely to be available at Rs 225 per dose on CoWIN portal

serum institute of indiaserum institute of india newsadar poonawallaCOVID 19coronaviruscovishieldcovovaxSII

Source : with inputs

Ruchika Sharma

Ruchika Sharma joined Medical Dialogue as an Correspondent for the Business Section in 2019. She covers all the updates in the Pharmaceutical field, Policy, Insurance, Business Healthcare, Medical News, Health News, Pharma News, Healthcare and Investment. She has completed her B.Com from Delhi University and then pursued postgraduation in M.Com. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in Contact no. 011-43720751