Mass production of COVID-19 vaccine to begin in India once scientists give nod: PM

New Delhi, August 15

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said mass production of a vaccine for COVID-19 will begin in India once scientists give their nod and a roadmap was ready to ensure it reaches everyone in the country in the shortest possible time.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on India’s 74th Independence Day, Modi said three vaccine candidates were in different stages of trials in the country, adding the talent of our scientists is like that of ‘rishi munis’.

He said whenever there was talk of COVID-19, the question that came to everyone’s mind was that when would a vaccine be ready.

“I want to tell people that the talent of our scientists is like that of ‘rishi munis’ and they are working very hard in laboratories. Three vaccines are in various stages of testing. When scientists will give us the green signal, there will be produced on a mass scale and all preparations have been made for it,” Modi said.

A roadmap had been prepared to ensure that the vaccine reaches everyone in the country in the shortest possible time with mass production, he said.

Three vaccine candidates were in different stages of human clinical trials in India.

The phase-1 and 2 human clinical trials of two of them, developed indigenously by Bharat Biotech, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and Zydus Cadila Limited, are currently underway.

The Serum Institute of India has been permitted for conducting Phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials of the third vaccine candidate developed by the Oxford University. The Pune-based institute has partnered with AstraZeneca for manufacturing the vaccine. PTI