English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

Moderna Covid vaccine likely in India next year, Pfizer ready to offer 5 crore doses this year

While Moderna has conveyed to Indian authorities that it does not have surplus vaccines to share in 2021, there are limited prospects of Johnson & Johnson exporting its jabs from the US to other countries in the near future, the sources aware of discussions said.

Published

on

Moderna Covid vaccine

The US pharma giant Moderna is expecting to launch a single-dose of Covid vaccine in India next year, sources said on Tuesday. As per the PTI sources Moderna is in talks with Cipla among other Indian firms while another US giant Pfizer is ready to offer 5 crore shots in 2021 with significant regulatory relaxations in India including indemnification. 

While Moderna has conveyed to Indian authorities that it does not have surplus vaccines to share in 2021, there are limited prospects of Johnson & Johnson exporting its jabs from the US to other countries in the near future, the sources aware of discussions said.

Two rounds of high-level talks chaired by the Cabinet Secretary were held last week on the availability of vaccines in the global as well as domestic markets as it was felt that there is an urgent need to procure the jabs at a time the country is reeling under an unprecedented Covid second wave and a widening gap between supply and requirement.

In the high-level meeting, officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, NITI Aayog, Department of Biotechnology, Law Ministry and Health Ministry were present.

It was discussed that Moderna doesn’t have surplus vaccines to share in 2021 and that it plans to launch its single-dose vaccine for the Indian market only in 2022, for which, they are in discussion with Cipla and other Indian companies, a source said.

It is learnt that Cipla has already evinced interest in procuring 5 crore doses from Moderna for 2022 and has requested confirmation from the central government in respect of stability in regulatory requirements/policy regime.

The Health Ministry has also been asked to take an early decision on Cipla’s request regarding support required by them for procurement of Moderna vaccines.

In Pfizer’s case, the US pharma giant has indicated availability of 5 crore vaccine doses – 1 crore in July, 1 crore in August, 2 crore in September and 1 crore in October –for supply to India in 2021 and that it will deal only with Central Government and payment for vaccines will have to be made by the Centre to Pfizer India

In response to a question on states being unable to procure vaccines directly from Moderna and Pfizer, Health Ministry Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal had said on Monday in press conference that whether it is Pfizer or Moderna, at the Centre-level, the officials have been coordinating with them. He had also said the order book of both Pfizer and Moderna is full so it depends on their surplus that how much the firms can provide in India and they will come back to the Centre and the state govt will help them in facilitation to the people of the states.

Currently, India is using two made-in India Covid vaccine- Covishield and Covaxin — to inoculate its billion-plus population and has administered 20 crore doses since launching the world’s largest vaccination drive in mid-January.

Read Also: Major fire at HPCL plant in Vishakhapatnam, no casualties reported so far

A third vaccine, Russian-made Sputnik V, has been approved by the government and is being used on a smaller scale at present. Till date, Russia’s Sputnik Light is the only single-dose Covid vaccine to be known with trials currently underway by other manufacturers. Significantly, Moderna’s Covid vaccine is said to have 94.1% effectiveness at preventing symptomatic Covid after the second dose.

India News

Delhi police recover decomposed body from bed-box in DDA flat

A woman’s decomposed body was found hidden inside a bed-box in Vivek Vihar, Delhi. Police are investigating the case as a suspected murder.

Published

on

Delhi crime, Vivek Vihar body case, decomposed woman found, DDA flat murder case,

Delhi Police has recovered a decomposed body of a woman inside a bed-box at a DDA flat in Vivek Vihar’s Satyam Enclave. The discovery was made after locals alerted police about a foul smell emanating from the residence.

According to police officials, the dead body, wrapped in a blanket and stuffed into a bag, was located inside house number 118 A. The flat belongs to a man identified as Vivekanand Mishra, aged between 50 and 60 years.

Closer inspection revealed blood stains near the backdoor, which raised suspicions and prompted authorities to force entry into the flat.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara), Neha Yadav, stated, “We received a call at 4:37 regarding a foul smell coming from the house. Upon entering, we found the dead body of a woman, wrapped in a blanket and kept inside a bag placed in a box. An incense stick was found near the body. The woman has not been identified yet, and legal procedures are ongoing.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam said the house was found locked from the outside when officials arrived. Traces of blood were noticed near the backdoor. Upon opening the house, the woman’s decomposed body was recovered.

Preliminary reports suggest the woman, estimated to be in her late 40s, may have been murdered two to three days ago. Investigative sources revealed that Mishra, the flat’s owner, was seen visiting the house on Thursday night and again on Friday afternoon.

The investigation is currently underway, with forensic teams analyzing samples and surveillance footage being examined from the locality. As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the case. Authorities are treating the case as a potential homicide, and further legal action is expected as new evidence comes to light.

Continue Reading

India News

Rahul Gandhi says BJP’s cronyism pushed banking sector into crisis, junior employees suffering

He encouraged other affected employees to share their stories through his official website.

Published

on

Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, criticized the BJP government on Saturday for what he called “cronyism and regulatory mismanagement,” claiming these policies have pushed India’s banking sector into crisis. He argued that junior employees bear the brunt of this mismanagement, facing “stress and toxic work conditions.”

Gandhi alleged that the government had waived off ₹16 lakh crore in loans for “billionaire friends,” while ordinary bank employees suffered the consequences. “The BJP’s economic policies have a human cost—thousands of honest professionals are paying the price,” he said.

In a post on social media platform X, Gandhi shared a video of his meeting with former ICICI Bank employees who accused the bank of unfair dismissals and workplace harassment. He promised that the Congress party would fight for their rights and work to end “exploitation in the banking sector.”

“Their accounts reveal a disturbing trend—retaliation for exposing bad loans, sudden terminations without proper procedure, and even tragic cases of suicide,” Gandhi said. He encouraged other affected employees to share their stories through his official website.

A delegation of 782 former ICICI Bank employees met Gandhi in Parliament on Friday, sharing claims of being fired while on medical leave or after raising concerns about management practices. According to the Congress, these employees said such practices are common in private banks due to extreme profit pressures.

The employees alleged that whistleblowers faced retaliation and that many were dismissed without following legal procedures. The Congress argued that these issues are not isolated but part of a wider problem in India’s banking industry.

ICICI Bank has not yet commented on the allegations. The Congress, meanwhile, has demanded action, calling for investigations into labor practices in private banks.

“If you have faced similar injustice, share your experience with me,” Gandhi said, directing affected individuals to his official portal. 

Continue Reading

India News

Air Force civil engineer shot dead at home in Prayagraj cantonment, police scan CCTV for suspect

Air Force civil engineer SN Mishra was fatally shot in his Prayagraj home. CCTV footage shows an unknown intruder entering the Air Force residential area.

Published

on

Prayagraj shooting

A shocking incident rocked the Indian Air Force Station in Prayagraj on Saturday, as civil engineer SN Mishra, 51, was shot dead at his official residence in the cantonment area. The assailant, whose identity remains unknown, allegedly fired a bullet through the window while Mishra was asleep, police officials confirmed.

The incident occurred in Engineers Colony inside the Air Force Station, under the jurisdiction of Puramufti Police Station. Mishra sustained a gunshot wound to the chest and was rushed to the Army hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

CCTV footage shows security breach

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (City) Abhishek Bharti, CCTV footage from the Air Force Station captured a person jumping over the boundary wall and entering the premises. Surveillance teams have visited the spot and are reviewing the footage for further leads.

Efforts to identify and arrest the suspect are underway, officials said.

Investigation underway

SHO Manoj Singh stated that the body has been sent for post-mortem, and that a formal FIR will be registered once the family lodges a complaint.

Mishra is survived by his wife, son, and daughter. The incident has triggered concerns about security lapses within the high-security Air Force residential zone, with investigators yet to determine whether the killing was personal or premeditated.

Further legal action will follow once more details emerge from the ongoing investigation.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com