COVID vaccine could be ready within weeks; Centre, state govts discussing cost: PM Modi after all-party meet

KEY STORY

• New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, said that coronavirus vaccine could be ready within a few weeks, adding that healthcare workers, frontline workers and old people suffering from serious conditions would be the first ones to be provided vaccination.

• PM Modi’s statement came after an all-party meeting with leaders of various political parties and Union ministers called to discuss the present COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country, through video conferencing.

“Nearly eight vaccines are on other stages of trial with their manufacturing assured in India. Three vaccines from India are at different stages. Experts believe wait for COVID-19 vaccine will not be long, it may be ready in a few weeks,” he said after the virtual meeting which was attended by about 12 leaders from prominent political parties.

• PM Modi also assured that the Central and state government teams are working in tandem for the distribution of vaccine, asserting that India has “expertise for vaccine distribution as well as capacity”.

Entire world watching India for cheap, safe vaccine

• The Prime Minister further said that the entire world is watching in India for safe and safe coronavirus vaccine, adding that India’s vaccination would begin as soon as the government gets a go-ahead from scientists.

“The scientists are very confident of succeeding in their endeavour of making the COVID-19 vaccine. The world is keeping a watch on the cheapest and safe vaccine. That is why the world is watching India,” he underscored.

“We have one of the largest networks with experience in vaccination programmes. With help from state governments, other needed cold-chain storages and logistical support are being measured. A special software has also been developed for vaccine stock and real time information,” he said.

‘Public health top priority for COVID-19 vaccine price’

• PM Modi said that questions on the cost of vaccines is “obvious”, adding that the Centre is in talks with state governments over the price of vaccine and decision regarding it will be taken keeping public health as top priority.

“The cost of vaccine will be decided keeping in mind public health and state governments will play a major role in this,” the Prime Minister said.

• The Prime Minister also appealed to all political parties to ensure “anti-national and anti-human” rumours are not spread during vaccination. “We must make sure rumours aren’t spread during vaccination, rumours that are anti-national and anti-human. Thus, all political parties must make sure that we save all Indians from such rumours,” he said.

Who all attended the all-party meet?

• Floor leaders of all parties from both Houses of Parliament — Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha attended the all-party meeting.

• Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad attended the meeting on behalf of the Congress party while Sudip Bandyopadhyay from the TMC, Sharad Pawar of the NCP, Nama Nageswara Rao from the TRS and Vinayak Raut from the Shiv Sena represented their respective parties.

• Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Parliamentary Affairs Ministers Pralhad Joshi and ministers of state in the same ministry Arjun Ram Meghwal and V Muraleedharan were also present at the meeting.

• Meanwhile, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said that his party was not invited to the all-party meeting to discuss the COVID-19 situation despite being the single largest party of Bihar, adding that “it shows that the meeting is just a show-off”.

• This is the second all-party meeting called by the government to discuss the COVID-19 situation since the outbreak of the pandemic. The first meeting was held in April during a coronavirus-induced countrywide lockdown.

• PM Modi recently visited three pharmaceutical companies in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Pune to review coronavirus vaccine development work there.