Covid-19 vaccine to be available in next few weeks, says PM Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that Covid-19 vaccines would be ready in India in the next few weeks and sought suggestions from state governments and political parties on the planned roll-out of the immunisation drive.

Addressing a meeting of floor leaders in Parliament, Modi said that the cost of the vaccine would be decided in consultation with the state government with the top priority being given to public health.

The Prime Minister said that the vaccination drive would begin as soon as the government gets the green signal from scientists developing the vaccine and healthcare and frontline workers, besides senior citizens with co-morbidities would be the first to be inoculated.

For latest updates on coronavirus vaccine, click here

Prominent leaders who attended the virtual meeting included former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena leader Vinayak Raut, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav, DMK leader T R Baalu.

Chowdhury said that it was noteworthy that the government was planning to vaccinate healthcare workers but there was no roadmap for inoculating 130 crore, Indian citizens.

"Will the daily wage workers who struggle to get two square meals a day be able to afford the vaccine," Chowdhury asked.

Raut asked the Prime Minister to set up a monitoring committee to ensure that there were no irregularities in the vaccination drive.

Yadav asked the government not to hurry on the vaccine front and it should be used only after assuring its safety and efficacy.

CPI leader Binoy Biswam could not join the meeting due to technical glitches and a shot of a letter to the Prime Minister making his suggestions.

Modi recalled his visit to India's top vaccine hubs to review the development of vaccines and the manufacturing process.

He said he was assured that the country had the necessary infrastructure to manufacture the vaccine on a large scale.

"Nearly eight vaccines are at different stages of trial with their manufacturing assured in India," he said.

Modi said vaccine distribution and administration has been entrusted with a national experts group.

"Advice will be taken from them in a comprehensive and real-time manner. India has the facilities needed to manufacture the vaccine on a large scale. In fact, our preparation is better than most others," Modi said.