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Coronavirus LIVE, May 14: The central government and Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech are willing to invite other companies which want to produce Covaxin to help scale up its production, a top government advisor said on Thursday, as India grapples with a dire shortage of coronavirus vaccines.
"People say that Covaxin should be given to other companies for manufacturing. I am happy to say that Covaxin manufacturing company (Bharat Biotech) has welcomed this when we discussed it with them," NITI Aayog member Dr VK Paul said.
the Union health ministry agreed on Thursday to extend the gap between two doses of Serum Institute of India (SII)'s Covishield to 12-16 weeks, acting on the recommendation by an advisory group on Covid-19 vaccines in India.
There is no change for Bharat Biotech's Covaxin; the two doses of these vaccines are administered four-six weeks apart.
India will have enough doses to inoculate all citizens by December, the head of the national task force on Covid-19 vaccines said on Thursday, dangling the prospect of a final victory against a virus that is now devastating homes and families across the country.
Between August and December, Niti Aayog member Dr Vinod Kumar Paul said, 216 crore vaccine doses would become available, which means that there would be surplus doses after every Indian is vaccinated.