Pfizer India has become the first pharmaceutical firm to seek an emergency use authorisation for its COVID-19 vaccine in the country, after its parent company secured such clearance in the U.K. and Bahrain.

India is the largest buyer of COVID-19 vaccines in the world with 1.6 billion doses, according to a global analysis, a number some scientists say could cover 800 million people, or 60% of its population, and will be enough to develop herd immunity.
India has purchased 500 million doses of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine candidate, 1 billion from the U.S. company Novavax and 100 million doses of the Sputnik V candidate from Russias Gamaleya Research Institute, according to the U.S.-based Duke University Global Health Innovation Center.
You can track coronavirus cases, deaths and testing rates at the national and State levels here. A list of State Helpline numbers is available as well.
Here are the updates:
TNCC chief contracts coronavirus, says party
Tamil Nadu Congress chief K S Alagiri has tested positive for coronavirus, the party said on Sunday.
The former Lok Sabha MP has been admitted to a private hospital for treatment, A Gopanna, TNCC media department chairman said in a statement.
TNCC president K S Alagiri has tested positive for coronavirus following a test today morning and has been admitted to a private hospital for treatment, he said.
Gopanna asked those who had come in contact with Alagiri to undergo COVID-19 tests.
M.P. schools for classes 1 to 8 to remain shut till March 31: CM
 Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that schools for Classes 1 to 8 in the State will remain shut till March 31 next year in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
He also said that no test would be conducted for the students of these classes this academic year and they would be evaluated on the basis of their project work.
The Chief Minister said this during a review meeting of School Education Department held on Friday.
Doctors, teachers, other high-risk groups sign up for COVID-19 vaccinations in Moscow
Thousands of doctors, teachers and others in high-risk groups have signed up for COVID-19 vaccinations in Moscow starting from Saturday, a precursor to a sweeping Russia-wide immunisation effort.
The vaccinations come three days after President Vladimir Putin ordered the launch of a large-scale COVID-19 immunisation campaign even though a Russian-designed vaccine has yet to complete the advanced studies needed to ensure its effectiveness and safety in line with established scientific protocols.
The Russian leader said on Wednesday that more than two million doses of the Sputnik V jab will be available in the next few days, allowing authorities to offer jabs to medical workers and teachers across the country starting late next week.
Pfizer seeks emergency use authorisation for its COVID-19 vaccine in India
 Pfizer India has become the first pharmaceutical firm to seek from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) an emergency use authorisation for its COVID-19 vaccine in the country, after its parent company secured such clearance in the UK and Bahrain.
The firm, in its application submitted to the drug regulator, has sought permission to import the vaccine for sale and distribution in the country, besides waiver of clinical trials on Indian population in accordance with the special provisions under the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, official sources said.