Bihar receives first batch of 55k jabs

Patna: It was a traffic-free movement for the 3 refrigerated mini-trucks from Patna’s JP International airport to Nalanda Medical College Hospital as the first consignment of Covishield vaccine reached here on Tuesday noon. The 12.5-km road between the airport and the hospital was available for smooth movement of the 3 vehicles escorted by the police. The vehicles carried 54,900 vials with a capacity to vaccinate 10 people from each vial. It was the first consign­ment from the SII, claimed Mangal Pandey, the Bihar health minister, present at the airport to receive the vaccine’s consignment. The Centre has allotted 10 lakh doses for the state quota in the first phase starting Saturday. 4.70 lakh health workers have enrolled themselves as corona warriors to receive the first dose. CM Nitish Kumar will launch the vaccination programme at 1.30am.