Scindia: India to have 200 crore vaccine doses by December
(Sourced from PTI)
BJP's Rajya Sabha member Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday said vaccination was the only way to tackle coronavirus, and 200 crore vaccine doses, enough for all, would be made available in India by December. He said that even if the current situation was very challenging, the virus could be eliminated if everyone comes together to put up a united fight against it.
Speaking to reporters in the Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh, Scindia said, "Vaccination is the only way to deal with coronavirus. The country will have 200 crore vaccines by December, which will be sufficient for all. The Centre and states are constantly working in this direction." Along with the urban areas, vaccination will also start in rural parts shortly, he added.
Scindia further said talks were being held with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on a daily basis over the COVID-19 situation and everyone was working in a team spirit to make oxygen and Remdesivir available in sufficient quantity. "Preparations should now start to deal with the third wave of COVID-19," the former Union minister said.
Scindia, Chouhan and Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar, and others attended a meeting of the crisis management committee, which took stock of the coronavirus situation in the Gwalior and Chambal region. The Centre had on Thursday said that over two billion doses will be made available in the country in five months between August and December, enough to vaccinate the entire population.
Both firms, Bharat Biotech and SII, have assured that they will gradually accelerate their production capacities. Meanwhile, noting the gradual rise of COVID-19 cases in rural areas of the country, the Union Health Ministry on Sunday issued fresh guidelines to ensure that community-based services and primary level healthcare infrastructure in these regions are equipped to manage the raging pandemic.
