Amid rumor to develop a possible Covid-19 vaccine for distribution in India, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday that India is expected to have a COVID-19 vaccine in a few months and that the country should be in the process of delivering it. to people in the next six months.
Vardhan made the remarks at the Annual General Meeting of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) and St. John’s ambulance.
“We are very much in the process of developing the vaccine … in the next few months at most we should have a vaccine and in the next six months we should be in the process of delivering the vaccine to the people of India,” He said. he said, the PTI news agency reported.
Vardhan said that to fight COVID-19 the social vaccine of maintaining a distance of six feet should be followed, along with regular hand washing and the use of masks and face coverings, especially in public places.
“Maintaining a distance of six feet, washing hands regularly and wearing face masks / coverings, especially in public places, can save lives along with livelihood, which has been the ultimate goal of the government,” he said.
He said that this powerful social vaccine can stop the disease and also forms the basis of the ‘Jan Andolan’ against COVID-19.
Vardhan said the IRCS, through its blood centers, has done everything possible to ensure there is no shortage of blood for people in need.
“Innovative ways to promote voluntary blood donation, coupled with the dedicated efforts of staff, managers and volunteers, have resulted in 24×7 operations of blood services across the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, India’s COVID-19 count surpassed 71 lakh with 66,732 new cases, while the number of people who have recovered surpassed 61 lakh, bringing the recovery rate to 86.36%, according to data from the Union Ministry of Health updated on Monday.
The number of COVID-19 cases in the country is 71,20,538. The death toll rose to 1.09,150 and the virus claimed 816 lives in one day, updated data showed at 8 a.m.
With PTI inputs
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