India prepared for the Omicron variant: Health Min Mansukh Mandaviya

India's manufacturing capacity will be increased to 45 crore doses per month in the next two months, said Mandaviya.

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday (December 20) said that India is prepared to fight any potential wave of Omicron variant of the coronavirus adding the country’s COVID vaccine manufacturing capacity will be increased to 45 crore doses per month in the next two months.

The minister made the statements while addressing the Rajya Sabha on the matter of rising Omicron threat and told the parliament about the preparation being made to tackle the situation.

“With our experience during the first and second waves, to ensure that we don`t face problems if variant spreads, we have arranged a buffer stock of important medicines.”

He further added that the states and union territories have an adequate quantity of vaccines against COVID-19 for vaccination drives, adding that the country`s vaccine manufacturing capacity has also increased.

About the Omicron spread in India, the health minister said that India has reported 161 cases of new coronavirus variant so far and said that the Centre is closely monitoring the pandemic situation.

 "As of now, India has 161 Omicron cases...We are monitoring the situation daily with experts," the minister told Rajya Sabha while replying to a debate on the COVID-19 situation. He said the government has taken steps to deal with the situation if the virus spreads.

Today India has the capacity to manufacture 31 crore doses of vaccine per month. In the next two months, it`ll further rise to 45 crore doses per month," the minister said.

"Under PM Modi`s leadership, with the efforts of our healthcare workers, 88 per cent of first doses of the COVID vaccine have been administered and 58 per cent of second doses administered so far. The majority of the population in India is vaccinated today," he added.

(With agency inputs)