Sources have said that the government's Subject Expert Committee (SEC) - vaccine has given a green light for the approval of Gennova Biopharma's mRNA vaccine.
Pfizer said discussions with the centre - to roll out its vaccine in India - were ongoing (File)
New Delhi:
States scrambling to buy Covid vaccines directly from foreign manufacturers - to boost what they say is insufficient supply from the centre - seem to be running into a roadblock in some cases, with at least two pharmaceutical giants refusing to sell to them.
American companies Pfizer and Moderna have turned down requests to supply Delhi and Punjab with their vaccines. Both cited official policy and said they would only deal with the centre. Pfizer will supply COVID-19 vaccines only to central governments for deployment in national immunisation programmes. Allocation of doses and implementation plan within a country is a decision for local governments based on relevant health authority guidelines, the company said.
As COVID cases rise alarmingly Sputnik V to get boost from Hyderabad
By M Somasekhar| Published: 13th April 2021 4:47 pm IST Moscow : A shot of Russia s experimental Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine is shown before its use in Moscow, Russia.
M Somasekhar
On April 12, India granted emergency use authorisation to Sputnik V, the Vaccine to provide protection from COVID-19, developed by Russia.
Coincidentally, 60 years earlier, on the same day, (April 12, 1961), Yuri Gagarin, a young Russian became the first human to enter outer space, circle the planet Earth and return in the spaceship named Vostok -1.
Two years later in June 1963, Valentina Tereshkova, a 26 year young engineer became the first woman to fly into space in Vostok-6. These developments stunned the world, especially the Americans, who were making strong efforts to foray into Space.
With the Covid-19 vaccination drive expected to commence next week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to chair a meeting with the Chief Ministers of all the states. The meeting is likely to be held at 4 p.m. on Monday, said sources.In the .