India Likely To Get Its First COVID-19 Vaccine Shot By January 2021: Dr. Harsh Vardhan

India’s first vaccine shots may be available from January 2021

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, India’s Union Health Minister, claimed that Indian citizens might obtain COVID-19 vaccination by January. The Health Ministry reports that India currently has 26,624 new COVID-19 cases, 26,690 recoveries, and 341 fatalities.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan stated that their prime objective had been the efficiency and safety of the immune shots. They don’t want to jeopardize this aspect. He personally thinks that they would be able to supply the first COVID-19 vaccine to Indian citizens, probably by any week of January. He also tweeted regarding the constant drop in the nation’s active coronavirus case records.

He reported that the nation’s elite researchers and medical care experts have jointly worked on producing an indigenous vaccine. In the succeeding 6-8 months, India will be capable of immunizing around 30 crore citizens.

He mentioned while discussing with the 22nd GoM (Group of Ministers) that India’s strong and efficient research and health team have functioned towards producing vaccines using genome sequencing and segregation of the novel virus and further development of the vaccine.

Simultaneously, the Health Ministry issued a document with answers to people’s concerns regarding the vaccination on Saturday. There are 9

coronavirus vaccine contenders in various stages of clinical trials in India, among which 6 are now in clinical studies, and 3 are in the pre-clinical stage.

AstraZeneca and Oxford University’s Covishield is developed based on the Chimpanzee Adenovirus. This vaccine is produced by SII (Serum Institute of India), Pune. The regulator has enabled Phase II and III joint trials of the vaccine, and they have also applied for emergency use permission. Covaxin, on the other hand, is based on an inactivated virus. The vaccine is in Phase III clinical trial and produced by Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad, jointly with ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research). They also have applied for an emergency consumption permit. ZyCoV-D, another vaccine contender, is developed based on DNA. It is being produced by Ahmedabad’s Cadila Healthcare in collaboration with DBT (Department of Biotechnology). This vaccine is now in the Phase III clinical trials.

Sputnik V, Russia’s vaccine, is manufactured by Dr. Reddy Lab, Hyderabad, and Gamaleya National Center, Russia, based on protein-sub units. This vaccine is developed based on human adenovirus and is now in Phase III clinical trials. Another vaccine, NVX-CoV2373, is developed by SII, Pune, in collaboration with Novarax. Phase III trials in India are currently being planned for this vaccine. There is also a vaccine based on recombinant protein antigen produced by Biological E, Hyderabad and MIT, USA. This vaccine has commenced Phase I & II human trials. An mRNA-based vaccine candidate, HGCO-19, is produced by Genova, Pune, and HDT, USA. This vaccine has completed the pre-clinical animal trials, and the next step is the commencement of Phase I & II. Another Bharat Biotech’s vaccine is based on an inactivated rabies vector produced in collaboration with Thomas Jefferson University, USA. This vaccine is currently in the late stage of pre-clinical studies. Aurobindo Pharma and Aurovaccine, USA has developed a vesiculo vax based vaccine, which is now in its pre-development phase.

India’s first vaccine shots may be available from January 2021

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Author: Geema George