By Express News Service
CHANDIGARH: Covid vaccine manufacturer ‘Moderna’ has refused to send its doses directly to Punjab government.
According to Moderna’s policy, they do not deal with any state governments or private parties but only with the Centre.
Punjab State Nodal Officer for vaccination Vikas Garg said that all vaccine manufacturers were approached for direct purchase of various Covid vaccines, including Sputnik V, Pfizer, Modern, and Johnson and Johnson, as per the directions of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to explore possibilities of floating a global tender for the procurement of vaccines from all possible source to ensure early inoculation in the state.
Garg further informed that this reply was received from Moderna alone.
It may be recalled that the state government was forced to stop inoculation for Phase I and Phase 2 categories in the last three days because of non-availability of vaccines. All efforts would be made for procurement of vaccines to meet the acute shortage in the state, which had received fewer than 44 lakh vaccine doses so far from Central Government.
As per centre’s allocation for Phase III (18-44 age group), the state government has been able to buy only 4.2lakh vaccine doses, including 66,000 received yesterday. A total of 3.65 lakh have already been used, leaving only 64000 for use as of now, said Garg.
