Approval for vaccines accelerates India’s journey to be COVID-free, says Modi

New Delhi, January 3

Hailing the approval given to two coronavirus vaccines as a “decisive turning point” in the spirited fight against the pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said on Sunday that this will accelerate the process for India to become a COVID-free nation.

In a series of tweets after the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approved Oxford’s vaccine Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for restricted emergency use, Modi said it would make every Indian proud that both the vaccines are made in India.

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“This shows the eagerness of our scientific community to fulfil the dream of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, at the root of which is care and compassion,” he said, congratulting the nation, scientists and innovators.

A decisive turning point to strengthen a spirited fight!

DCGI granting approval to vaccines of @SerumInstIndia and @BharatBiotech accelerates the road to a healthier and COVID-free nation.

Congratulations India.

Congratulations to our hardworking scientists and innovators.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 3, 2021

He extended his gratitude to doctors, medical staff, scientists, police personnel, sanitation workers and all ‘corona warriors’ for the outstanding work they have done in adverse circumstances, and said the nation would remain eternally grateful to them for saving many lives.

यह गर्व की बात है कि जिन दो वैक्सीन के इमरजेंसी इस्तेमाल को मंजूरी दी गई है, वे दोनों मेड इन इंडिया हैं। यह आत्मनिर्भर भारत के सपने को पूरा करने के लिए हमारे वैज्ञानिक समुदाय की इच्छाशक्ति को दर्शाता है। वह आत्मनिर्भर भारत, जिसका आधार है- सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः सर्वे सन्तु निरामया।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 3, 2021

“A decisive turning point to strengthen a spirited fight! DCGI granting approval to vaccines of @SerumInstIndia and @BharatBiotech accelerates the road to a healthier and COVID-free nation. Congratulations India. Congratulations to our hardworking scientists and innovators,” he tweeted.

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The Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, has tied up with Oxford-AstraZeneca to manufacture Covishield.

Covaxin has been indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

विपरीत परिस्थितियों में असाधारण सेवा भाव के लिए हम डॉक्टरों, मेडिकल प्रोफेशनल्स, वैज्ञानिकों, पुलिसकर्मियों, सफाईकर्मियों और सभी कोरोना वॉरियर्स के प्रति कृतज्ञता व्यक्त करते हैं। देशवासियों का जीवन बचाने के लिए हम सदा उनके आभारी रहेंगे।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 3, 2021

The approval by the DCGI was given on the basis of recommendations submitted by a COVID-19 subject expert committee (SEC) of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). PTI

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