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Govt in talks with Pfizer & J&J for importing vaccines to India

NEW DELHI: Union minister of state for home affairs G Kishan Reddy today said that the government was in talks with COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson for procuring vaccines to accelerate the inoculation drive in the country.

"The government has made action plans to vaccinate everyone by the end of December 2021 and for the production of 250 crore vaccine doses after speaking to several pharma companies," the union minister said further adding, "Sputnik V vaccines have arrived in Hyderabad yesterday and discussions are on to get the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson shots too."

Reddy who was talking on the sidelines of inaugurating a drive-through vaccination centre in the age group 18-44 years in the Chanakyapuri area of the national capital said that with over 21 crore of its people vaccinated against COVID-19, India ranks third globally in the absolute number of vaccine doses administered till now among its citizens till date.

Stressing that the government was committed to importing vaccines from abroad, he said that the biggest import consignment of the COVID-19 vaccine in India to date was received on Tuesday with 56.6 tonnes of Russia's Sputnik V vaccines landing in Hyderabad by a specially chartered freighter.

Meanwhile, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has exempted specific trials of COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved by some other international regulatory bodies which is likely to clear the way for foreign vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna for the country's urgent requirement.

According to a letter by DCGI Chief VG Somani exemption will be applicable for vaccines that have already been approved for restricted use by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) Japan or listed for Emergency Use by the World Health Organisation.

Presently three COVID-19 vaccines Serum Institute of India's Covishied, Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN, and the Russian made Sputnik V supplied by Dr Reddys Lab are being made available in the country for the vaccination drive.

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