22/12/2020
COVID Vaccination in India
As India heads closer to the D-day with the government hinting that a vaccine is only a few weeks away, the Union Health Ministry has revealed its Covid-19 vaccine distribution and administration plan.
The 8 Covid-19 vaccine candidates in India:
1. Covisheild (chimpanzee adenovirus platform) manufactured by Serum Institute of India in collaboration with Astra Zaneca: Currently in clubbed Phase 2/3 trials. The company has applied for emergency use authorisation.
2. Covaxin (inactivated virus platform) manufactured by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with ICMR: Currently in Phase 3 trials in India. Has also applied for emergency use authorisation.
3. ZY-Cov-D (DNA platform) being developed by Cadila Healthcare (Zydus Cadila) in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology. Phase 2 trials currently underway.
4. Russian vaccine Sputnik V (human adenovirus): Gamaleya National Centre Russia developing it in collaboration with Dr Reddy’s Lab in India. Phase 3 trials to begin next week.
5. NVX-COV-2373 (protein subunit platform) by Serum Institute of India in collaboration with Novavax: Phase 3 trial under consideration.
Recombinant protein antigen-based vaccine by Biological E Ltd, Hyderabad in collaboration with MIT USA: Phase 1,2 trials have started.
7. HGCO 19 (mRNA vaccine similar platform to Modern and Pfizer in the USA) by Gennova, Pune with Thomas Jefferson University, USA. Phase 1, 2 to start.
8. Inactivated rabies vector platform (repurposed vaccine) by Bharat Biotech and Thomas Jefferson University, USA - in pre-clinical advanced stages of trials
Who will be on vaccine priority list?
>> Healthcare Workers (govt and private): 1 crore
>> Frontline workers (personnel from state and central police department, armed forces, home guards, civil defence organisations including disaster management volunteers and municipal workers: 2 crore
>> Prioritise age groups: 27 crore (above the age of 50 years and less than 50 years with comorbidities
The government is also launching a digital platform by the name of CoWIN through which registration, vaccination, followup and guidance will be provided.
India is embarking on the largest vaccination programme in the world to ensure that all the citizens of the country are provided effective protection from COVID 19.