Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Indian scientists are very confident about Covid-19 vaccine which would be ‘ready in a few weeks’ asserting that India’s vaccination plan would begin as soon as scientists give a go-ahead in the virtual all-party meet on Friday.
PM Modi during the meeting which has been attended by about 12 leaders from various political parties said, “Experts expect that the vaccine will be ready within next few weeks itself. Once scientists approve it, the nation-wide Vaccination drive will be started in India.”
“Our scientists are very confident of succeeding in their endeavour of making COVID-19 vaccine. The world is keeping a watch on the cheapest and safe vaccine.” he further added.
In the virtual meeting with the leaders on the Covid-19 situation and the vaccine situation, PM Modi said that centre is ‘in talk’ with the states on distribution and pricing as he underlined that public health will be top priority.
He said, “The vaccine distribution and administration is given to a national experts group. Advice will be taken from them on a comprehensive and real-time manner. India has the facilities needed to manufacture the vaccine at a large scale. In fact, our preparation is better than most others,”
“Centre is in talks with state governments over the price of vaccine and decision regarding it will be taken keeping public health as topmost priority.” he added.
Nearly eight vaccines are at different stages of trial and the manufacturing of the vaccines assured in India and three vaccines from India are also at different stages of trial said PM Modi in this meeting.He also said that frontline workers and elderly people with serious aliments will be the first ones to get the vaccination.
The 12 leaders included Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad of Congress Party, Sudip Bandyopadhyay of TMC and Sharad Pawar of the NCP are attending the meeting. Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary is also attending the meeting.
Apart from PM Modi, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan were also present at the meeting.
Prime Minister Modi a few days visited India’s top vaccine hubs to review the development of the coronavirus vaccine and the manufacturing process. He went to Serum Institute of India in Pune, Zydus Camila in Ahmedabad and Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad.
India, in the last 24 hours recorded 36,595 fresh Covid-19 cases taking the country’s coronavirus tally to 95,71,559.