COVID-19 will be there for another six-seven months, to go away once vaccine comes: Athawale

PANAJI: Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday said a COVID-19 vaccine will be available in the country in one or two months.

Once the vaccine comes, "corona will go from here (the country)", he told reporters in Panaji.

A vaccine against COVID-19 will be introduced in the country in next one or two months, he said.

"The coronavirus will be there for another six-seven months, but it has to go one day. Once the vaccine comes, corona will go from here," the minister said.

Athawale had in February this year coined the slogan 'Go Corona Go'.

Referring to it, he said, "Corona is going down. It is going. I had given the slogan of 'Go Corona Go' in February."

The minister said the number of COVID-19 cases has come down in Goa and also in neighbouring Maharashtra.

Till Sunday, Goa reported total 50,064 COVID-19 cases, while Maharashtra recorded total 18,96,518 cases of the disease.

The Drugs Controller General of India is currently examining the applications of Bharat Biotech, Serum Institute of India and Pfizer for emergency use authorisation for their COVID-19 vaccines in the country.