COVID-19 Vaccine Likely By End Of This Year Or Early Next Year: AIIMS Doctor

New Delhi: Two days after announcing that All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi will conduct the human clinical trial of the indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, the head of Centre for Community Medicine Department in AIIMS, Dr Sanjay K Rai said that there are chances that by end of this year or early next year, we will have a vaccine. “Launching of the vaccine depends on its overall trial. We will have to check the effectiveness of the vaccine for at least six months.  By the end of this year or early next year, there are chances that we will have a vaccine,” Dr Rai told ANI.

Also Read: Clinical Trials Of COVID-19 Vaccine, Covaxin Begins At Goa; To Start At Bhubaneswar From July 22

Earlier in the day, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said that the trial will be conducted in three phases.

Phase 1 vaccine trial will be conducted on healthy people aged 18-55 years who have no co-morbidity. A total of 1125 samples have been collected of which 375 people will be studied in the first phase and 750 people between 12-65 years will be studied in the second phase, said Dr Guleria.

“To test the efficacy and effectiveness of the vaccine a trial will be conducted under phase-3. The trail will be conducted in AIIMS,” he added.

AIIMS Ethics Committee on Saturday (July 18) gave its approval for conducting the human clinical trial of the indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine candidate Covaxin.

The country’s top drug regulator had recently given a green signal for human clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccine candidate Covaxin, which has been developed by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the ICMR and the National Institute of Virology (NIV).

Also Read: Pharma Giant Zydus Cadila Initiates Clinical Study On 1,048 Volunteers For Potential COVID-19 Vaccine

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.