Hours after the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approved the manufacture of Coronavirus vaccine by Serum Institute of India(SII) and Indian company Bharat Biotech, PM Modi tweeted that the new move would accelerate the ‘road to a healthier and Covid-19 free nation’. “A decisive turning point to strengthen a spirited fight,” he emphasised.
A decisive turning point to strengthen a spirited fight!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 3, 2021
DCGI granting approval to vaccines of @SerumInstIndia and @BharatBiotech accelerates the road to a healthier and COVID-free nation.
Congratulations India.
Congratulations to our hardworking scientists and innovators.
While thanking the scientific community, PM Modi further informed, “It would make every Indian proud that the two vaccines that have been given emergency use approval are made in India! This shows the eagerness of our scientific community to fulfil the dream of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, at the root of which is care and compassion.”
It would make every Indian proud that the two vaccines that have been given emergency use approval are made in India! This shows the eagerness of our scientific community to fulfil the dream of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, at the root of which is care and compassion.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 3, 2021
He had also expressed his gratitude for health workers, doctors, sanitation workers and other frontline warriors, who had put their lives in risk in the most adverse of circumstances.
We reiterate our gratitude to doctors, medical staff, scientists, police personnel, sanitation workers and all Corona warriors for the outstanding work done, that too in adverse circumstances. We will remain eternally grateful to them for saving many lives.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 3, 2021
“We reiterate our gratitude to doctors, medical staff, scientists, police personnel, sanitation workers and all Corona warriors for the outstanding work done, that too in adverse circumstances. We will remain eternally grateful to them for saving many lives,” PM Modi tweeted.
Modi govt plans to roll out Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine
After India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) approved the emergence use of Covishield (developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca) vaccine on Friday, plans are underway by the Modi government to roll-out the immunisation programme.
As such, a dry run was scheduled yesterday in at least three ‘session sites’ in every state capital and districts with poor logistical support. The objective of the government, behind this exercise, is to assess the on-field situation of the vaccination process. At the same time, a total of 96000 vaccinators have been trained to execute the inoculation programme.
India first to culture new Coronavirus strain in the UK
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Saturday said that India has successfully isolated and cultured the new strain of coronavirus that causes Covid-19. ICMR further added that no other country has yet reported successful isolation and culture of the UK-variant of SARS-CoV-2. Viral culture is a laboratory technique in which cells are grown under controlled conditions, generally outside their natural environment.