Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday said any vaccine against coronavirus that is administered to citizens will meet all necessary scientific criteria and stressed that governments at all levels will have to work together to ensure that the vaccination drive is smooth, systematic and sustained.
Interacting with the chief ministers and other representatives of states and Union Territories, Modi said the vaccine research has reached almost the final stages and the government was closely monitoring the development process, while maintaining contacts with all stakeholders.
The modalities of COVID-19 vaccine delivery, distribution and administration were discussed during the meeting.
“It is not yet decided whether there will be one, two or three doses of vaccine. Their prices are also not decided. We don’t have answers to such questions right now as there are different people in the world making it. The corporate world is involved, there is competition among them, countries have their diplomatic interests, have to wait for WHO also,” Modi said.
He asked the chief ministers to ensure regular monitoring of the state level steering committee and state and district level taskforces to ensure better results, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on the meeting.
Prime Minister Modi forewarned that past experience tells several myths and rumours are spread around vaccines, according to the statement.
The prime minister reassured that the government is keeping a close watch on the development of vaccines and is in contact with Indian developers and manufacturers, along with global regulators, governments of other countries, multilateral institutions and international companies.
He underlined that just like the focus in the fight against COVID-19 has been on saving each and every life, the priority will be to ensure that the vaccine reaches everyone. Governments at all levels will have to work together with coordination as a team to ensure that the vaccination drive is smooth, systematic and sustained, he said.