AIIMS director Dr. Randeep Guleria, also a member of the national task force on coronavirus management in the country, has said that ordinary people will have to wait until 2022 to receive an injection of the coronavirus vaccine. The AIIMS director said it will take “more than a year” for a coronavirus vaccine to be readily available in Indian markets.
In an interview with CNN-News18, Randeep Guleria said that for normal people, it will take “more than a year.” “In our country the population is large; we need time to see how the vaccine can be bought in the market as a flu vaccine and take it. That will be the ideal situation,” said Randeep Guleria.
When asked about the challenges India would have after a coronavirus vaccine becomes available, the AIIMS director said the main focus would be its distribution to reach all parts of the country. “Maintaining the cold chain, having adequate syringes, adequate needles and being able to bring it to the most remote part of the country in a fluid manner is the biggest challenge,” he said.
The second challenge, said Dr. Randeep Guleria, would be to figure out the positioning of another vaccine that comes out later and is considered more effective than the first.
“So if we have a vaccine that comes out later and is considered more effective than the first, how do we position it? How do we make a course correction? How do we then decide who needs vaccine A and who needs vaccine B? Many decisions need to be made as we move forward, ”said the AIIMS director.
Randeep Guleria also stated that the coronavirus infection “will not go away” with vaccination.
INDIA WILL HELP COUNTRIES IN VACCINE PRODUCTION, DELIVERY: FS SHRINGLA TO DIPLOMATAS
India on Friday broadcast to several countries that it will use its strength in the production and delivery of vaccines to help humanity fight the coronavirus crisis.
The message was delivered by Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla during a briefing organized for more than 190 heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations and their representatives.
“Several countries have been reaching out to us for vaccine supplies. I reiterate our Prime Minister’s commitment that India’s vaccine production and delivery capacity will be used to assist all of humanity in fighting this crisis. India will also help interested countries improve their cold chain and storage capacities for vaccine delivery, “said Shringla.
(With PTI inputs)
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