India developing 7 more COVID vaccines: Harsh Vardhan

Union Health Minister HarshVardhan on Saturday said that the country is developing seven more COVID-19 vaccines and also working on further vaccine development to inoculate every citizen of India.

He said the Centre does not have any immediate plan to make the vaccines available in the open market and a decision will be taken as the situation demands.

The COVID-9 inoculation process for people aged above50 will start in March, he told reporters.

''We are not dependent only on the two vaccines as the country is working on seven more indigenous vaccines.

''Simultaneously, we are also working on the development of more vaccines because India is a huge country and we need more players and research to reach out to everyone,'' he said.

Three of the vaccines are in the trial phase, two are in the pre-clinical stage, one is in phase 1 and another in phase 2, the Union health minister said.

''The COVID-19 inoculation process for people above 50years of age will start next month,'' he said.

''Presently, COVID-19 vaccines are being administered an emergency basis, under full observation and in a controlled manner. If the vaccines are released in the open market, there won't be any control over them. The decision will be taken as the situation demands,'' he added.