India’s mega vaccination efforts to gain significant momentum from the first Johnson and Johnson doses in October

New Delhi: New Delhi Sources have revealed that India could receive its initial dose of Johnson & Johnson Jab in October as a major boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of inoculating the entire population with at least a 1 shot of Covid-19 vaccine.

In India, the drug will be packaged and shipped by a partner in the US pharmaceutical company Reuters, a source privy to development.

The first shipment could have around 43.5 million doses of the single-shot jab, a big move towards helping India achieve its target of producing more than 30 crore doses in October.

India is the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer. However, in order to meet domestic demands, it had temporarily halted exports in April. Now, New Delhi is set to resume export of the vaccines under the ‘Vaccine Maitri’ programme from October to fulfill its commitment towards COVAX, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had said on Monday.

The Drugs Controller General of India had last month given emergency use authorisation to the J&J vaccine, imported or locally supplied by the company’s Indian partner Biological E.

However, the central government is yet to sign a supply deal with J&J.

“J&J doses are expected from next month. Bio E will do the formulation and make 5 ml vials,” the source said.

A J&J India spokesperson said “it was premature for us to speculate on the timing of our vaccine deliveries”.