India "Likely to Start COVID-19 Vaccination from Next Month"

India, Second Highest Number of Confirmed Cases Worldwide After the US

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Following the United States, India, which has the second highest cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide, is expected to begin vaccinations starting next month. India has stated that the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine are its top priorities.

According to local media including the Times of India on the 21st, Harsh Vardhan, India's Minister of Health and Family Welfare, said the day before, "It seems likely that the first COVID-19 vaccinations could be possible by next month." Minister Vardhan added that they are not rushing emergency use approval considering the vaccine's safety, and "regulatory authorities are seriously analyzing the vaccine in this regard."

Currently, three companies in India?the American pharmaceutical company Pfizer, the local pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech, and the Serum Institute of India (SII)?have applied for emergency use authorization for their COVID-19 vaccines. Previously, the UK, the US, and Canada approved emergency use for the Pfizer vaccine, and the US also approved emergency use for the Moderna vaccine.

Minister Vardhan stated, "Within the next 6 to 7 months, we will have the capacity to vaccinate 300 million Indian citizens," and added, "Even after vaccination, COVID-19 preventive measures advised by scientists must be followed."

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India's cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is 15,556,000, an increase of 24,337 from the previous day. The cumulative number of confirmed cases is twice that of the United States. However, recently, the rate of increase in new COVID-19 cases has somewhat slowed down.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.