“India is making efforts just like other countries,” the health minister told Rajya Sabha adding that PM Modi is handling the Covid-19 “meticulously.”
There are expectations that a vaccine for coronavirus will be available in the country by the beginning of next year, Union Health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has said today. He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been personally monitoring the COVID-19 situation in the country.
“India is making efforts just like other countries,” the health minister told Rajya Sabha adding that PM Modi is handling the Covid-19 “meticulously.”
“Under PM Modi’s guidance, an expert group is looking at it and we have advanced planning in place. We are hopeful that by the beginning of the next year, a vaccine will be available in India,” Mr Harsh Vardhan said in his address in upper house regarding the Covid-19 situation in the country.
He also stressed that from January 8, the Prime Minister, the ministers and state health ministers have been addressing the situation.
“All chief ministers have fought this battle along with the Prime Minister,” the health minister said, adding that detailed advisories were circulated even before the first coronavirus case was detected in the country on January 30.
“Extensive contact-tracing was undertaken for that case. For the first case, 162 contacts were traced. That is how we started our history of contact tracing,” he claimed.
Congress’ Anand Sharma raised a query regarding his earlier statement that between 14 lakh and 29 lakh cases were averted by the lockdown imposed in March, the health minister responded saying it was based on data provided by six scientific agencies.
On the first day of the 18-day monsoon session, the health minister had said India averted a “major crisis” when the coronavirus outbreak started because of the countrywide lockdown imposed by PM Modi. The lockdown prevented up to 29 lakh cases, “I congratulate PM Modi,” he had added.
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