Serum re-starts Covishield production, seeks to despatch 6 mn Covovax doses

Initiates talks with private hospitals for dispatching existing Covovax stock; Conducts in-vitro studies on human blood samples for neutralising antibody titres against XBB in India

With only 146 sites conducting vaccinations in India and a few hundred vaccine shots administered every day, Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) has now restarted production of its Covid-19 vaccine Covishield. It also has an inventory of six million does of Covovax.

Only 441 vaccine doses were administered during the past 24 hours.

Speaking to Business Standard, SII CEO Adar Poonawalla said, “We have restarted production of Covishield after stopping it about a year back. We will make two-three batches and stockpile 5-6 million doses of Covishield to supply to hospitals if anyone wants it. I understand some people