COVID vaccine: Centre to brief diplomatic corps in outreach initiative amid final trials

In a bid explore potential partnerships for manufacturing and delivery of vaccines, Centre will brief diplomatic corps based in Delhi next week on efforts for development of a vaccine against Coronavirus. Foreign secretary Harsh Shringla on vember 6 will brief envoys and senior members of diplomatic corps. Niti Aayog member VK Paul, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan and or senior officials are also expected to attend event. 

This will be first such outreach programme to international community over Coronavirus vaccine. This development comes as India is looking for partners to co-produce vaccines for COVID-19 so that y can be manufactured faster and distributed on a larger scale.

Meanwhile, PM Modi-led government is set to propose five models for vaccine cooperation with friendly countries and key neighbours, with India having entered late-st trials for two indigeus vaccines and Oxford AstraZeneca candidate, which will be me by Pune-based Serum Institute of India.

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India's Vaccine Development

Bharat Biotech and ICMR's COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin's third phase human trials are set to commence at Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS) and SUM Hospital in Odisha soon. IMS and SUM Hospital is only institute in Odisha out of list of 21 medical institutes which have been selected by Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) for phase III trials of COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, ar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India (SII), has said that Oxford-AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine candidate, dubbed Covishield in India, could be rey for roll-out as early as December if clinical trials succeed. Following approval of Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), final st of clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by UK’s Oxford University and manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) has begun in Pune, an official was quoted on September 21. 

ditionally, BCG or Bacille Calmette Guerin vaccine may help fight COVID-19 infection. It can especially be effective for  elderly, according to a study conducted by Indian Council of Medical Research. On October 28, ICMR anunced that study found that BCG vaccine 'induces enhanced innate and aptive immunity' in elderly people which can turn out to be effective in fight against coronavirus. 

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