Pune: In world’s biggest vaccination drive, domestic airlines on Tuesday have started transporting doses of the vaccine to cities across the country from Pune. The Union Health Ministry last week announced that the much-awaited vaccination drive will begin on January 16.
Flights across airlines would transport a total of 56.5 lakh doses to multiple cities during the day from Pune. The first two flights of carrying vaccines have already departed from Pune to Delhi and Chennai.
Taking to Twitter, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri said: "Civil aviation sector launches yet another momentous mission. Vaccine movement starts. First two flights operated by @flyspicejet & @goairlinesindia from Pune to Delhi & Chennai have taken off."
In another tweet, Puri said that Air India, SpiceJet, GoAir and IndiGo will operate nine flights from Pune with 56.5 lakh doses to Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Shillong, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Bhubaneswar, Patna, Bengaluru, Lucknow and Chandigarh.
The roll-out of vaccine will give priority to the healthcare and frontline workers who are estimated to be around 3 crore, followed by those above 50 years of age and the under-50 population groups with comorbidities numbering around 27 crore. Three days after India stepped in 2021, two vaccines - Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute of India were approved for restricted emergency use.
(With inputs from IANS)
