PM Modi visits Bharat Biotech facility in Hyderabad to take stock of COVID-19 vaccine development

PM Narendra Modi arrived at Hyderabad to review coronavirus vaccine development work.

New Delhi/Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed at Hyderabad on on Saturday (November 28, 2020) to take the stock of COVID-19 vaccine development at Bharat Biotech's facility located at Genome valley.

PM Modi was recived by Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Director General of Police and other officials at the Hakimpet Air Force station.

It is a part of his three-city visit to personally review the COVID-19 vaccine facilities.

The COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, is being developed byBharat Biotech in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Virologyis now undergoing phase-3 trials. The vaccine is being developed and will be manufactured at Bharat Biotech's BSL-3 (Bio-Safety Level 3) facility in Genome Valley in Hyderabad.

PM Modi will be interacting with scientists and senior management of the city-based vaccine maker onthe status of Covaxin, officials said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Ahmedabad in Gujarat to review coronavirus vaccine development work.

From the airport, PM Modi proceeded towards the Zydus Cadila's plant near Ahmedabad.

The Prime Minister will talk to researchers, scientists to get information about its vaccine development. He will take stock of the progress made in the vaccine production

The plant is located over 20 km from Ahmedabad in the Changodar industrial area. PM Modi will be at the plant for an hour, beginning 9.30 am, an official told PTI.

Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the Zydus Biotech Park to review the development of #COVID19 vaccine candidate ZyCOV-D pic.twitter.com/8cBQNQVUrN — ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2020

Next the PM will proceed to Pune, where he will visit the Serum Institute of India (SII), which has partnered with global pharma giant AstraZeneca and the Oxford University for the vaccine.

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the Prime Minister Office (PMO) had made the announcement about the PM's Pune, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad visit.

"As India enters a decisive phase of the fight against COVID-19, PM Narendra Modi’s visit to these facilities & discussions with the scientists will help him get a first-hand perspective of the preparations, challenges & roadmap in India’s endeavour to vaccinate its citizens," the PMO tweeted.