The government’s vision of a possible timeline came even as it warned that large gatherings during the upcoming festival season could become “super spreaders” of the Covid-9 infection and urged that the wearing of masks be rigorously followed. , social distancing and hand washing.
Niti Aayog member Dr. VK Paul said that vaccine candidates are progressing well in clinical trials. In addition to the Oxford candidate, two local candidates, developed by Bharat Biotech and Cadila Healthcare, are in advanced phase 2 testing and results are expected in early November, after which the strategy for the next phase will be formulated.
ICMR chief Dr. Balram Bhargava said changes in the virus are unlikely to affect the efficacy of the vaccines as these were minimal, described as “vaccine drift” rather than “change in vaccine. vaccine, “which generally takes a decade and then requires an altered vaccine response.
“Once approved, there will be no delay in making them (vaccines) available,” Paul said, underscoring that manufacturing, distribution and storage are being planned. The government also made sure that there are sufficient resources to finance the purchase of the necessary doses of the vaccine.
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The holiday season remains a major concern for government experts who say it is concerning to see people not wearing masks. They said the young had a particular responsibility as they were mobile and could bring the infection home to the elderly. “It will be irresponsible if they don’t take care of themselves,” Dr. Paul said.
Warning people against a possible increase in infection, Paul said there are concerns that the pandemic could resurface with the onset of winter if proper precautions are not taken. He said the current decline in active cases was encouraging, but precautions must be taken to ensure that India does not suffer a second wave.
Highlighting the situation in the United States and many European countries, Paul said the second spike of Covid-19 may be imminent as such viruses tend to thrive in winters.
“Since SARS-Cov-2 is a respiratory virus, we assume that its contagiousness will increase during winters. The study of influenza virus pandemics reveals that cases increase during the winter phases, ”said Paul.
“Many countries are experiencing a second peak and the number of cases is higher than in the previous phases. However, deaths may be under control, but that is because health systems are now prepared. But we have seen a significant increase in cases in cold weather, although there may also be other factors, “he added.
He warned that India could also face a second wave, especially in the wake of the impending festival season. “Like us, the virus also likes these big meetings and can exponentially multiply the number of cases. These gatherings can be wide-spread events, ”Paul said, urging people to wear masks correctly at all times, maintain hand hygiene, and maintain physical distance to avoid transmission of the virus.
“It is now clear that Covid-19 patients begin shedding the virus 2-3 days before the onset of symptoms. These patients are innocent because they do not know the state of their health. However, their innocence can turn criminal if they are invited to a meeting. The infected person can transmit the disease to many and chains would form, ”he said.
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