He said that Bharat Biotech had not asked the government for any money for the trials or any advances for increasing vaccine manufacturing capacity. In an important development, vaccine manufacturers would now be free to supply the 50% doses to State governments and in the open market. “Bharat Biotech would need the help of Government of India to give vaccine to the state governments and private hospitals. Government of India has blocked all the production capacity and left the state governments to figure it out," he said. “Vaccine manufacturers were getting all the brickbats despite the problems of getting the employees into the manufacturing facility and procurement of the raw materials.

Source: Mint April 20, 2021 16:41 UTC