1,000 Covishield Vials Found Frozen in Assam, Health Dept Probes

A health worker shows the Covishield vaccine, after arrival of the first batch of the vaccines from the Serum Institute of India. Image used for representative purposes.

(Photo: PTI)

The Assam Health Department is launching an investigation to ascertain how doses of Covishield vaccine were found frozen in the cold storage facility of Sircar Medical College Hospital, Cachar district. The vaccine needs to be stored in temperature between two and eight degree Celsius.

Approximately, 100 vials of 1,000 doses of Covishield, the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine produced by Serum Institute of India, were found frozen on Saturday, the first day of the pan-India inoculation drive.

The frozen doses are being sent to a laboratory for testing to gauge efficacy, told Munindra Nath Ngatey, director, health services to HT.

Stating that, “It could be due to a problem in storage,” the official added that the health department will initiate action if any negligence is found.

(With inputs from Hindustan Times)