India expects 500 million doses of Covid vaccine by July 2021

New Delhi : A vaccine against Covid-19 will likely be available in India by early next year and there is a possibility that the shots may come from more than one source, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said on Tuesday. "We're expecting that early next year we should have vaccine in the country from maybe more than one source. Our expert groups are formulating strategies to plan on how to roll out the distribution of the vaccine in the country," the Union Health Minister said during a meeting of the Group of Ministers.

Currently, four Covid-19 vaccines are in advanced stages of pre-clinical trials in India. The 21st GoM meeting was held on Tuesday after over a month's gap, as the last meeting had taken place on August 30. It was stated that hopefully by July 2021, some 400 to 500 million doses of the vaccine will be made available for 20-25 crore people in India.

"Keeping a close pace with the potential availability of vaccine, a plan of action on which sections are to be given priority has been discussed. Importantly, it would be monitored through a scientific approach," Dr Harsh Vardhan revealed about the strategy being discussed on vaccine distribution.

"For this, strategies that have been adopted by the world be it CDC, US, are being studied continuously. Digital platforms are also being prepared for the same," the health minister added.

The GoM was informed about the stage by stage preparation of the vaccine (from cold chain equipment to nonvaccine equipment).

"Approximately 200 vaccine candidates are being tried out globally. Around 151 candidates are at the pre-clinical trial phase and around 42 are at the clinical trial phase. Globally there are nine vaccine candidates who are at clinical trial phase II & III (slightly advanced stages), among who three are from India," said the minister.

It is expected that the vaccine may be available in the country from more than one source. Expert groups are formulating strategies to plan on how to roll out the distribution of the vaccine in the country.

Currently the Covid-19 recovery rate in India is near 87 percent while the fatality rate is at 1.53 percent. More than one million samples are being tested daily for detecting the infection in the country in the 1,927 laboratories, including private and government.

Keeping the upcoming festive and winter season in mind, Vardhan further advised people by saying, "As winter and festive seasons are approaching the entire country should strictly follow Covid-19 appropriate behaviour such as wearing mask, observing social distancing and maintaining respiratory hygiene."

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep S Puri, Minister of State (MoS) Home Nityanand Rai, MoS Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, NITI Aayog member Dr VK Paul, and expert teams for strategy formulation were among others were present in the meeting on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had formed the GoM in February keeping the rising Covid-19 pandemic threat in mind.