14th May 2021 The estimate of 217 crores is based on anticipated production indicated by companies. Total population above 18 around 81 crore!
Next week itself we are to get 15.6 crore SputniV K Paul, head of Task Force: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/coronavirus-second-wave-later-rather-than-sooner-govt-unveils-roadmap-for-supply-of-covid-vaccines-7314278/
“From the beginning, the Department of Biotechnology and Ministry of External Affairs together have been in touch with Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. It is still ongoing,” Paul said.
“We had formally asked them (the pharma companies), and also held a discussion. We asked them: ‘Would you please want to send doses to India; please would you like to manufacture in India?’ We told them that we would find partners and would assist them. We also asked them if they want to do fill and finish,” he said.
States float tenders but know it’s a long shot, say Centre’s job to buy https://indianexpress.com/article/india/states-float-covid-vaccine-tenders-but-know-its-a-long-shot-say-centres-job-to-buy-7314275/
GLOBAL tenders for Covid vaccines by the Mumbai civic body and the Uttar Pradesh government for 1 crore and 4 crore doses respectively, and plans of at least half-a-dozen other states to call for bids, may yield little to no results, unless Russia and China step in with supplies.
Such global tenders for vaccine supply by sub-national governments amid supply shortages are the first publicly known instances during this pandemic. The states may be going through the motions to publicly announce their intent to citizens, but most reckon the slim chances since they have to compete with advance orders by other countries and procurement efforts by a global Covid-19 vaccine facility.
At current (old-may11th) rate of Covid-19 vaccination, India may take 3.5 years to reach herd immunity https://www.indiatoday.in/coronavirus-outbreak/story/coronavirus-current-rate-vaccination-india-years-herd-immunity-covid-1801320-2021-05-11 The vaccine math arrived through a back-of-the-envelope calculation that shows that 94.5 crore people need to be given two shots of Covishield or Covaxin for herd immunity. This means a requirement of 189 crore vaccine doses.
Herd Immuninty
>> Population of India — 135 crore
>> Vaccine coverage for herd immunity — 94.5 crore People
>> Total vaccine doses needed — 189 crore