Covishield, Sputnik likely to be the first COVID vaccines to be available in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Covishield developed by Oxford University and Sputnik 5 developed by Russia are the COVID vaccines that Kerala is likely to get in the first phase of rollout when they become available for distribution.

The health department has told the government that the state doesn’t have the facility to store the Pfizer vaccine, which is being used to vaccinate people in the US and the UK, at minus 70 degrees Celsius.

At the same time, it is not clear whether Covaxine, a COVID vaccine being developed indigenously, will be available.

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS-VACCINES-PFIZER-BRITAIN — Vials with a sticker reading, "COVID-19 / Coronavirus vaccine / Injection only" and a medical syringe are seen in front of a displayed Pfizer logo in this illustration taken October 31, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo

It is also not clear what quantity of any vaccine will be given to Kerala in the first phase.

According to the information obtained from the central government, Covishield, the vaccine candidate being developed by Oxford University in association with the Pune-based Serum Institute of India, will be the first to be made available for distribution. Although the third phase of the trial of the vaccine candidate has been completed, the final report has not been received.

Sputnik is still in the second phase of trials, while the third phase of trials of Covaxin has started.

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