Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of the Serum Institute of India, hopes to receive an emergency business authorisation before the end of December. He said that once the approval has been issued, vaccination will begin in India by January 2021.
Poonawalla also added that almost 60 crore citizens will be vaccinated by October next year to which normal life will resume.
“By this month-end, we might get an emergency licence, but the actual licence for wider use might come in at a later date. But we are confident that if the regulators give a nod, India’s vaccination drive can start by January 2021,” said Adar Poonawalla.
“Once 20 per cent of India gets the vaccine, we can hopefully see the confidence and sentiments coming back, and by September-October next year hopefully there will be enough vaccines for everyone and normal life can return,” Poonawalla said.
He added that the Indian government wants to procure 300-400 million doses by July 2021.
