Indira Gandhi International Airport’s CEO on Tuesday said that the airport is planning to distribute up to 5.4 million vials of COVID-19 vaccine daily in January. The CEO also emphasised on the logistical challenge of covering the total population of 1.3 billion Indians.
Three companies which are developing COVID-19 vaccines, UK’s AstraZeneca, America’s Pfizer and India’s Bharat Biotech have applied for emergency approval usage in the country. The Indian government is planning to approve AstraZeneca by next week, while, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is still under advanced testing phase.
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“If we are able to rotate cargo twice a day, then 5.4 million (vials) can be distributed in a day," Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said. Overall, the airport had the capacity to handle up to 8 million vials a day, he said.
India currently has the second-most COVID-19 cases in the world, second to the United States. The total number of cases in the country has crossed 10 million mark while the total deaths, last recorded on Tuesday, was numbered at 1,46,000.
After a more infectious strain was found, many countries have put travel embargo on the UK where the strain was found while some countries have reimposed precautious measures like lockdown and curfews. The Indian government acted swiftly on this matter by issuing a statement which said that every passenger coming from the United Kingdom will be tested.
