Calling this an acceleration on the road to a healthier and coronavirus-free nation the Prime Minister said that this was a ‘decisive turning point to strengthen a spirited fight!’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted congratulating India and its hard-working scientists and innovators minutes after the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted approval to COVID-19 vaccines of Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech on Sunday.
Calling this an acceleration on the road to a healthier and coronavirus-free nation the Prime Minister said that this was a “decisive turning point to strengthen a spirited fight!”
SII CEO Adar Poonawalla also reacted on Twitter wishing everyone a happy new year and stating “All the risks SII took with stockpiling the vaccine, have finally paid off. COVISHIELD, India’s first COVID-19 vaccine is approved, safe, effective and ready to roll-out in the coming weeks.”
Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director, World Health Organisation South-East Asia Region, in her statement said that the WHO welcomed the first emergency use authorisation given to COVID-19 vaccine in the WHO South-East Asia Region.
“ This decision taken today by India will help intensify and strengthen the fight against COVID-19 pandemic in the region. The use of vaccine in prioritised populations, along with continued implementation of other public health measures and community participation will be important in reducing the impact of COVID-19,” she said.
“Vaccination will begin soon,” said principal scientific adviser K. Vijay Raghavan in his tweet.
He said: “This is a result of focused work by scientists, national laboratories, government agencies, regulators, health care workers, and most importantly, all our people who have waited patiently following all COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.“
He added that there were full vaccination measures in place across the country.
“All should follow these protocols systematically and fully. Everyone will get their turn. We should start by ensuring that those who look after us, health-and frontline-workers, are first safe,” he tweeted.
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