The government has outrightly rejected media reports suggesting that Serum Institute of India (SII) has contracted complete production till 25th May, 2021 to the centre, and therefore till that date the state governments will not be able to procure vaccine from SII.

These media reports are based on incorrect facts and are without any basis. On the contrary, the state governments are free to procure COVID-19 vaccine doses from the vaccine manufacturers as per the Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy. 

In order to expand and liberalise the countrywide vaccination drive, the Union Government has on 19th April 2021 announced the Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy which would come into effect from 1st May 2021.

A key feature of the Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy is that the “Vaccine manufacturers would supply 50% of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to Government of India and would be free to supply remaining 50% doses to state governments and other than Government of India channel. The state governments are free to purchase the vaccine doses from the vaccine manufacturers.

Therefore, it is very clear that every month out of the total CDL cleared doses available with any vaccine manufacturer, 50% doses would be available for other than government of India channels.