COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy greatest threat in overcoming pandemic: Poonawalla

The vaccine hesitancy is now the greatest threat in overcoming the Covid pandemic, said Pune based Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla on Wednesday. He urged all adults to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Poonawalla said that the vaccine industry has worked tirelessly to provide enough stocks for the nation. “Today there are over 200 million doses available with states. I urge all adults to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Vaccine hesitancy is now the greatest threat in overcoming this pandemic”, he said in a tweet.

The company is also likely to start supplying the Covid vaccines to the Covax after India resumed Vaccine Maitri to export vaccines starting from October 2021, said a source.

India resumed the vaccine export under Vaccine Maitri in the fourth quarter starting from October to fulfill the commitment towards COVAX in line with the motto Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (World is one family). India had stopped vaccine exports in April amid second Covid surge to jab its own population.

Meanwhile, India’s Covid 19 vaccination coverage has crossed 114 crore landmark as more than 65 lakh vaccine doses were administered till 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

India’s Covid cases are also on declining trajectory. The country on Wednesday reported 10,197 new Covid cases and 301 deaths in a day.