India is either donating or selling off the Corona vaccines to other countries, but own citizens have limited access – Delhi HC
Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech asked to disclose their capacity to manufacture Covid vaccines.
New Delhi – Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech have a greater capacity to provide the vaccines but it seemed that they are not fully exploiting their potential. Responding to a petition filed by the Bar Association of Delhi the court said that there needs to be a “sense of urgency” when it came to vaccinating citizens. The court observed that “We are either donating or selling off the vaccines to other countries, without looking at our own needs.” The HC bench was hearing a suo moto petition seeking to include judicial staff, advocates and judges as frontline workers during the country’s vaccination drive.
The court has asked the Centre to explain the classification of persons who can be administered the vaccine in various phases, and the rationale behind the same. The court has also directed Serum Institute of India, Pune and Bharat Biotech of Hyderabad to provide information about their capacity to manufacture Covid vaccines. Covaxin is being manufactured by Bharat Biotech, and Covishield in Serum Institute.
The Central Government had planned to vaccinate the frontline workers in the first phase. In the second phase the vaccine is being administered to the people over 60 and those over 45 with comorbidities.