Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said a date for the launch of the Covid-19 vaccine has not yet been set. “It may be ready for the first quarter of next year,” said the minister when addressing the first episode of his Sunday Samvaad, a program of interaction on social networks.
Thankful to thousands of you who wrote to me for #SundaySamvaad !
It’s great to have started a two-way communication with friends on social media. Learning a lot from conversations.
I hope we can keep up the pace and further strengthen the dialogue👍https: //t.co/su977Pnzxk
– Dr. Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) September 13, 2020
His comments come a day after pharmaceutical giant Astrazeneca announced the resumption of its Covid-19 vaccine trial after it got the go-ahead from British regulators. Its partner in India, the Serum Institute of India, paused the trials after the Indian Drug Controller issued a show of cause notice, following red flags being raised in the UK.
Read also | Serum Institute to resume Covid-19 vaccine trial after DGCI gives its go-ahead
The minister assured that the government is taking all precautions when conducting human trials of the vaccine. “There are also issues such as vaccine safety, cost, fairness, cold chain requirements, production timelines, etc. being intensively debated,” he said.
The vaccine, once ready, will be available to those who need it most. But the minister said he will be happy to receive the first dose of the vaccine.
In his hour-long interaction, the minister discussed various issues related to Covid-19 while answering various questions posed by social media users.
In which essay it is most promising: “Various vaccine trials are underway in India. At present, we cannot predict which one will emerge as the most effective. But for the first quarter of 2021, we will definitely know the results, ”said the minister.
According to availability: A group of vaccine experts has been created to oversee the entire process. While the test results are being evaluated, manufacturers will be recommended to start mass production so as not to waste time, the minister said.
In the first dose: “Work has already begun to prioritize vulnerable groups who will be vaccinated first. But if I need to take the vaccine to prove its efficacy, I will happily take the first dose, ”said the minister.
About the price of the Covid-19 vaccine: “It is premature to comment on the price of the vaccine that is still in testing. But the government of India will make sure that the vaccine is available to those who need it most, regardless of their ability to pay, ”said Harsh Vardhan.
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