COVID-19: Centre's Expert Group on vaccine to meet on Wed; discuss priority, logistics

The Central government's National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration will meet on Wednesday to discuss logistics and ethical aspects of procurement and administration of a Coronavirus vaccine, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday. The committee under the chairmanship of NITI Aayog member Dr. VK Paul will discuss who gets the vaccine first once a successful candidate gets all the necessary nods from regulators.

The committee would chalk out strategies on the aspects of prioritisation of the vaccine administration once it is developed, rollout cold chain logistics and training of the people who would be administering it.

"This expert group will continue its engagement with all state governments and vaccine manufacturers in India," health secretary Rajesh Bhushan told reporters in a press briefing. The official, however, declined to give a response when asked if the government is planning to tie-up with Russia to bring its 'Sputnik V' vaccine to India or any such collaboration.

There are over a hundred vaccine candidates being developed across the world to combat the Coronavirus pandemic that has infected over two crore people worldwide and killed at least 7.4 lakh. India itself has reported 22.6 lakh cases and a death toll of 45,257.

The mass rollout of a potential vaccine would require effective and prudent planning and management strategies by governments at both the federal and state levels, given that a sizeable section of India's population — the elderly and those with comorbidities — is susceptible to COVID-19.

READ | Coronavirus LIVE Updates

3 vaccine candidate trails in India

The Ministry informed that as of now, there are three vaccine candidates which are in different stages of human trials in India.

The Pune-based Serum Institute of India has been permitted for conducting Phase 3 human clinical trials of the Oxford University-developed COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the country.

The Phase 1 and 2 human clinical trials of a vaccine candidate developed indigenously by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research is also underway. Likewise, the candidate developed by Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila is also undergoing trails.

READ | COVID-19: For The First Time, India's Case Fatality Rate Falls Below 2%, Says Health Min

READ | COVID-19: CEO Of Serum Institute Responds To Anand Mahindra's 'Big V Vaccine' Tweet