As the world races to develop a possible vaccine against the coronavirus (Covid-19), the Union Ministry of Health has launched an online portal on Covid-19 with the latest information on the coronavirus disease.
Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan said on Monday that the web portal will have data on the development of the research, clinical trials on a possible Covid-19 vaccine in India, its launch date and other information.
He also said that the first vaccine in India will likely be available in early 2021.
Dr. Vardhan also said that there are at least three candidate vaccines that are in different phases of clinical trials.
With an increase of 82,170 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, India’s Covid-19 count crossed the 60 lakh mark on Monday, according to data provided by the Health Ministry.
Here are all the latest updates on the Covid-19 vaccine:
• India is currently witnessing different phases of clinical trials of three Covid-19 vaccines. Covishield, the vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford, is in phase 3 clinical trials. Trials began Monday at the state-run Sassoon General Hospital in Pune. The vaccine will be manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII). Indian indigenous vaccine developers Bharat Biotech International are in the second phase human testing stage and Zydus Cadila is in the process of receiving approvals for third phase clinical trials.
• The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has selected 43 volunteers so far for the clinical trial of the Covid-19 vaccine produced by the University of Oxford. Of these, 12 have already received the first dose of the drug.
• Monoclonal antibodies that prevent coronavirus from spreading in the body are among the promising strategies to prevent serious illness from Covid-19 before vaccines arrive, said Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
• China is injecting thousands of people with Covid-19 vaccines, which are still in testing and therefore unproven, according to reports. Those who receive these vaccines must also sign a “non-disclosure agreement”, according to which they cannot speak to the media about it.
• In anticipation of a possible vaccine for Covid-19, Gurugram’s health department will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the available ‘cold chain’ infrastructure in the coming weeks, officials confirmed.
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