PM Narendra Modi today while addressing India announced that the government is conducting research on an intranasal spray vaccine which if successful can significantly boost vaccination drive against COVID-19.
In a bid to boost vaccination drive against COVID-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the country on Monday said that the government is conducting research on an intranasal spray vaccine. If it is successful, then India will soon adopt the nasal spray method.
PM Modi in his address further said that seven companies are working on producing vaccine against the coronavirus. The PM said that there is very less number of vaccine manufacturers in world compared to its demand.
"Imagine what would have happened in India if we didn't have vaccines. If you look at history of last 50-60 yrs, you will know that it used to take decades for India to get vaccines from abroad," he added.
"In the last one year, India launched two made-in-India vaccines. Today more than 23 crore vaccine doses administered," said PM Modi.
The PM said that vaccine supply will be increased in the coming days. "Seven companies in the country are producing different vaccines, 3 vaccine trials at an advanced stage," he said.
As India aims at vaccinating most of its population by end of the year, PM Modi said that the government is ramping up the process to procure vaccines from abroad.
"To increase vaccine availability, the process of procuring vaccines from abroad has been sped up. Experts have also expressed concerns about children. In this direction, the trial of two vaccines is underway. Research is being conducted for a nasal vaccine in the country," he said.
Main highlight of the speech was that the Centre will take over the COVID-19 vaccination drive completely. Centralised vaccination policy will be implemented again which means no state will be allowed to procure vaccines and that the Centre will procure 25 per cent COVID-19 vaccines that was to be done by states.
From June 21, all people above 18 years in all states will be provided vaccines free by the Centre, the PM said.
