Covid-19 vaccine likely by early 2021, says Harsh Vardhan, offers to take 1st shot to build trust

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan today said a coronavirus vaccine could be ready by the first quarter of 2021. In an online interaction under the programme "Sunday Samvad", Harsh Vardhan said he would volunteer for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine if people have a "trust deficit" on the drug. He said frontline health workers, senior citizens and those with comorbidities should be given the vaccine first whenever it becomes available.

"Issues like vaccine security, cost, equity, cold-chain requirements and production timelines are being discussed intensely," Harsh Vardhan said, adding the vaccine will be given first to those who need it the most, irrespective of their paying capacity.

"The government has seen reports of alleged black marketing of drugs like Remdesivir and has asked the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation to take action along with their state counterparts," the Health Minister said in an interaction with people on social media.