PM Modi says three COVID vaccines in trials; production, distribution plans ready

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that government's roadmap to bring coronavirus vaccine to all Indians in shortest possible time is ready and as soon as scientists give a green signal, the country will begin their large scale production.

Today three vaccines are in testing stages in India, he said while delivering Independence Day speech from the iconic Red Fort.

Once a vaccine is approved, “the road map for its production and distribution among Indians is also ready," PM Modi said.

A national committee on covid vaccine administration met for the first time earlier this week. Apart from discussion on principles for prioritisation of population groups for vaccination, the committee also deliberated on selection, procurement and distribution of vaccine. The committee is headed by Dr V K Paul, a member of Niti Aayog.

Three vaccine up-and-comers are in various phases of human clinical



preliminaries in India. The human clinical preliminaries two antibodies grew indigenously, one by Bharat Biotech and the other by Zydus Cadila Ltd, are going on. 

Pune-based Serum Institute of India has likewise joined forces with AstraZeneca for assembling Oxford immunization in India and the administration has additionally allowed Serum Institute to lead Phase 2 and 3 human clinical preliminaries of the antibody.

The expert group on covid vaccine administration also deliberated on creation of a digital infrastructure for inventory management and delivery mechanism of the vaccine, including tracking of vaccination process with particular focus on last mile delivery.

Earlier this week, Russia became the first country to approve a vaccine for coronavirus, claiming that it offered "sustainable immunity" against the virus, but many scientists have questioned the approval of the vaccine even before Phase 3 trial.