In a virtual all party meeting held today to discuss the Covid-19 pandemic situation in the country, PM Narendra Modi said that he believed the vaccine will be ready in the next few weeks, based on experts' opinions.

The PM also said that three vaccines are currently in trial stage in India and as and when they are ready, healthcare and frontline workers, and elderly persons with serious ailments will be among the first ones to get the vaccination. Current frontrunner candidates, Pfizer and Moderna, are unlikely to become available in India, owing to their high price. PM Modi has hinted that the government might wait for a vaccine that is made in India. "Experts expect that the vaccine will be ready within next few weeks itself. Once scientists approve it, the nation-wide vaccination drive will be started in India. Our scientists are very confident of succeeding in their endeavour of making Covid-19 vaccine. The world is keeping a watch on the cheapest and safe vaccine," Modi said during the meeting.

Adding that eight Covid vaccines are at different stages of trial in India, the PM stated, "The vaccine distribution and administration is given to a national experts group. Advice will be taken from them on a comprehensive and real-time manner. India has the facilities needed to manufacture the vaccine at a large scale. In fact, our preparation is better than most others. The world is looking at a cheap but effective vaccine against Covid-19. The world is looking at India. You can be assured our scientists are working hard. Eight Covid vaccines are at different stages of preparedness in India. This includes the three Indian vaccines that are at different stages of trials."

India registered 36,595 new cases of Covid-19 infection on Thursday, taking its overall tally to over 95.71 lakh. With 540 new deaths, the country has recorded 1,39,188 deaths in total.