PM Modi to Visit 3 Drug Makers to Review COVID-19 Vaccine Development

To get a first-hand perspective of the preparations, challenges and roadmap, PM Modi is to visit three top drug makers in three different cities, said PM’s office. He is said to review the development of coronavirus vaccine and the manufacturing process.
PMO in its tweet said, “As India enters a decisive phase of the fight against COVID-19, PM @narendramodis visit to these facilities and discussions with the scientists will help get a first-hand perspective of the preparations, challenges and roadmap in India’s endeavor to vaccinate its citizens.”

As per his schedule, PM Modi is currently at Ahmedabad to visit pharma major Zydus Cadila’s plant where he landed at 9.30 AM. Zydus plant is located in the Changodar industrial area, over 20 km from Ahmedabad, where PM Modi will be for an hour. The drug maker has said that the first phase of clinical trial of corona vaccine candidate, ZyCoV-D, has been complete and it has commenced the second phase of clinical trials in August.

PM Modi is said to fly to Pune from Ahmedabad to visit Serum Institute India. SII has partnered with AstraZeneca and Oxford University for COVID-19 vaccine. He is expected to review the status of the vaccine, including its launch, production and distribution mechanisms during the visit.

From here, PM Modi will travel to Hyderabad to visit the Bharat BioTech facility, where he will review Covaxin, the coronavirus vaccine pitches to be India’s first indigenous vaccine candidate.