Coronavirus Vaccination: What Serum Institute's Natasha Poonawalla Said On Covishield After Getting Vaccinated

Coronavirus Vaccination: Serum Institute's Natasha Poonawalla was vaccinated against COVID-19.

Natasha Poonawalla, Serum Institute of India's Executive Director, was today vaccinated against COVID-19. She received the first shot of Covishield which is manufactured by her company and developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University.

"Proud to take the jab. Only after thorough rounds of local and international clinical trials, #Covishield vaccines were deemed safe and effective," said Ms Poonawalla, who is the wife of Adar Poonawalla, Serum Institute's owner and CEO, in an Instagram post.

India on Monday began the second phase of the vaccination drive against coronavirus, a gigantic exercise that aims to vaccinate 300 million people by July. Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin are the two vaccines currently being administered in the country. The second phase aims to vaccinate those over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 with illnesses.

In her social media post, Ms Poonawalla said the combined efforts of Seth Berkley, chief executive of the GAVI vaccine alliance, WHO, UNICEF, Gates Foundation and Bill Gates ensured that the first batch of Covishield vaccines were delivered to the global COVAX programme by the Pune-based Serum Institute.