COVID-19 vaccine: Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN begins Phase 2 of human trials at PGI Rohtak

Phase 2 of human clinical trial of Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN, India’s first indigeusly developed vaccine against COVID-19, began at Post Graduate Institute (PGI) Rohtak on Wednesday. trial is being conducted on 50 volunteers at PGIMS, Rohtak, of total 380 volunteers across country.

Twelve volunteers, between 12 and 65 years of , were administered first dose of Covaxin on Wednesday morning. Covid-19 vaccine is being developed Bharat Biotech in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV).

Dr Ramesh Verma, co-investigator of trials at PGIMS Rohtak, said volunteers were given first dose of three micrograms, while young males were given six micrograms of vaccine. volunteers were kept under observation for two hours and y showed positive results, he said.

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During this phase of clinical trials, all volunteers are t healthy unlike in phase one. A second dose will be administered to se volunteers after 28 days. That time, y will be given two doses. institute is conducting a full-body test of volunteers to exclude those suffering from major ailments.

Phase 2 of human clinical trials of Covaxin started on Tuesday after successful trial of 375 volunteers across country. Eighty-one of m were tested at PGIMS. ICMR has t shared data of how many antibodies were developed in bodies of volunteers of first phase, Verma said.

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COVID-19 on rise in India

India reported 89,706 new cases on Wednesday, 61% of which were reported from five states — Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu — Union Health Ministry has said. Ministry also said that se five states also account for 70% of all COVID-19 deaths in country. Rajesh Bhusan said in a statement, “re are 14 states and Union Territories that have less than 5000 COVID-19 cases. 28 states/UTs have COVID-19 case fatality rate lower than national aver of 1.70%.”

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Union Health Ministry Secretary Rajesh Bhusan said, “ case fatality rate is continuously declining. It was at 2.15% in first week of August, w it stands at 1.70%." As per COVID-19 reports by Ministry of Health Country's COVID-19 deaths per million population is 53 which is among lowest across world. 

India witnessed a sudden spike with fresh cases in 24 hours after over 90,000 cases were reported on Sunday and Monday. total number of COVID-19 cases recorded in India is 42,80,422 out of which 33,23,950 people have recovered and 72,775 have died.

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