IAF’s transport aircraft fleet will supply coronavirus vaccine to distant areas of India

The Indian Government plans to utilise Indian Air Force's transport aircraft fleet to supply the covid vaccines to distant parts of India.

Coronavirus-Vaccine Indian-Air-Force Aircraft-Fleet

In order to make the two approved coronavirus vaccines reach every person in India, the Centre has decided to utilize the transport aircraft fleet of the Air Force including the C-130J and Antonov-32 cargo planes. 

Senior government officials told media, that specialised vessels have been prepared by the vaccine manufacturers and suppliers to keep the vaccines at the desired temperatures during transportation of the vaccine for 24 hours.

Exclusive military airfields and advanced landing grounds for transporting the vaccine will be used by the Indian Air Force to the most isolated parts of the country including places like Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh, they said.

A significant portion of vaccine shipping by air will be carried by commercial airliners and the Indian Air Force will contribute landing supplies to commercial airliners at the military airfields where commercial planes don’t operate, stated the officials. The officials also added that the force will use its helicopter fleet to take the vaccine to the remotest places if required. 

Officials said discussions on the transportation of vaccines are still going on and details are being finalised in this regard. 

Also Read: Bharat Biotech recruits 25,800 volunteers for Covaxin's phase 3 study

On Sunday, the drug regulator approved two vaccines - Covishield developed by Serum Institute, Pune and Covaxin produced by Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad for restricted emergency use.

The armed forces have also identified hospitals for administering the vaccine to its personnel.

 



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