PAGE 7: INDIA’S COVID CASELOAD NEAR 75 LAKH

tion, and maintaining physical distancing especially in the wake of upcoming festival season.

The meeting was attended by Union health minister Harsh Vardhan, principal secretary to the PM, Member (Health) NITI Aayog, principal scientific adviser, senior scientists, officers of the PMO, and officials from various other departments.

In a statement, the PMO said three vaccines are in advanced stages of development in India, out of which two are in Phase II and one is in Phase-III.

It said Indian scientists and research teams are collaborating and strengthening research in neighbouring countries like Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal and Sri Lanka. There are further requests from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Qatar and Bhutan for clinical trials in their countries. The PM further directed that we should not limit our efforts to our neighbourhood but reach out to world.