COVID-19 vaccine: Health Ministry engaging with all stakeholders

The Health Ministry has started engaging with COVID-19 vaccine stakeholders within and outside government. "There are multiple stakeholders within and outside government and Ministry of Health has started actively engaging with such stakeholders," said the Secretary. Health Ministry on 'has there been a discussion of prioritising how a vaccine would be distributed or administered if and when it becomes available' "In India, 2 indigenously developed vaccine candidates are in phase 1 and 2 clinical trials. Trial of 1st vaccine involves 1150 subjects at 8 sites, 2nd on 1000 subjects at 5 sites," R Bhushan added.

Ram Temple: Priest, 15 cops test Covid positive in Ayodhya l Latest updates

A priest and 15 police personnel have tested positive for Covid-19 in the Ram Janmabhoomi complex. This comes ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony scheduled to be held in the Ayodhya on August 5. The priest who performs daily rituals at the temple had tested positive. The policemen who tested positive were deployed at the Ram Temple site for security. A top priest Mahant Kamal Nayan das said there is nothing to worry as the campus is being sanitized on a daily basis. Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had visited the temple town to check preparedness ahead of the mega event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Ayodhya for the bhoomi pujan event on August 5. Temple’s Trust has invited some 200 people for the event in view of Covid-19. Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had suggested that the bhoomi pujan event should be conducted via video conference. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had lashed out at the Maharashtra CM over his suggestion.