Reporting that India’s Comptroller General of Medicines has granted authorization for clinical trials of one more candidate vaccine from India, NITI Aayog (Health) member Dr. VK Paul said Tuesday that six vaccines are currently in in clinical trials in the country.
“This week, the Comptroller General of Drugs of India granted authorization for clinical trials for one more vaccine candidate from India. The Genoa company, with the help of the Department of Biotechnology of the Government of India research agency, has developed a vaccine, ”Dr Paul said during a press conference here.
He said the technology used in this is the same as the Pfizer vaccine.
“Unlike the Pfizer vaccine or some others, this vaccine, if it ever exists, can be kept under normal cold chain conditions, in a normal refrigerator. Right now, six vaccines are undergoing clinical trials in this nation, ”said Dr. Paul.
NITI member Aayog also raised concerns about the spread of Covid-19 amid ongoing farmers’ protest on the borders of the national capital. “We must take precautions, messages have been sent (to the farmers) from the government. The democracy process must continue, but we must also continue to follow the Covid-19 guidelines, ”he said.
Praising the states and territories of the Union that recently reduced the increase in Covid-19 cases, Dr. Paul said they are happy to note that Delhi has made progress.
“We congratulate the Government of Delhi, as well as other governments that have done so well to contribute to such significant control in recent times. There are states where we still have concerns. We ask the government and citizens of Uttarakhand, Nagaland and Himachal Pradesh to make every effort to control the situation, ”said Paul.
The Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Rajesh Bhushan, addressing the press conference, said that the number of cases per million people in India remains among the lowest in the world.
“29,000 cold chain points, 240 cold rooms, 70 cold rooms, 45,000 ice-lined refrigerators, 41,000 freezers and 300 solar refrigerators will be used. All these teams have already reached state governments, ”Bhushan said.
He said that the number of COVID-19 cases in India is 7,178 per million inhabitants, while the world average for them is 9,000. He also expressed concern about the adverse effects of immunization and suggested to the states and Territories of the Union to prepare for them.
“Adverse events after vaccination are a critical issue. When we undertake a universal immunization program, which has been in place for decades, we see some adverse effects on children and pregnant women after vaccination, ”Bhushan said.
“So, we cannot deny the possibility of an adverse event when the Covid vaccination begins. In countries where immunization has already started, especially in the UK, adverse events occurred on the first day. Therefore, it is essential that states and TUs also prepare for this, ”he added.
This comes as the total number of Covid-19 cases in India reached 99.06,165 with 22,065 new cases and 254 new deaths, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said today. So far, a total of 1.43,709 people have died from the virus.
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