Kochi, Jan 13: The first consignment of Covidshield vaccine from Pune-based Serum Insititute of India arrived at the Cochin international airport here on Wednesday morning to combat COVID-19, official sources said.

The Go Air flight carrying the vaccine for Ernakulam and Kozhikode landed at the airport at 10.35 am, they said. Special refrigerated vans were arranged to transport the vaccine safely to the respective centres. COVID-19 Vaccine Update: Longer Coronavirus Immunity Good News for Vaccine Makers, Says Experts.

Transfer of vaccine boxes from the plane to vans was completed in 10 minutes, they said. The second flight carrying the vaccine is expected to reach Thiruvananthapuram international airport this afternoon.

National Health Mission sources said of the 4.33 lakh doses of the vaccine, 1,100 would be sent to Mahe, which is an enclave of Puducherry and lies between Kozhikode and Kannur districts.

The vaccine will be stored in the Regional vaccine centres at Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode from where it would be distributed to 133 centres across the state.

While Thiruvananthapuram will receive 1,34,000 doses of the vaccine, Ernakulam and Kozhikode will receive 1,80,000 and 1,19,500 doses respectively, Health Minister K K Shailaja has said. So far, 3,62,870 people have registered themselves for the vaccination,which will commence from January 16.

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