COVID-19 vaccine by early 2021, state working on roll out plan: Karnataka health minister

Sudhakar hinted that the vaccine might be given free of cost in Karnataka

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/OXFORD-VACCINE The vaccine is currently being tested for its efficacy and safety in Mysuru-based JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research

Karnataka health and medical education minister K. Sudhakar expressed confidence that the COVID-19 vaccine would be made available in the beginning of 2021 in India.  

"We are hopeful that the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University which is now under clinical trials, will be made available in India early next year. While most vaccines take 4-5 years for development, the research institutes and pharma companies have taken it up as a challenge to deliver the vaccine for COVID-19 at the earliest," said Sudhakar, addressing a press meet, along with Gagan Singh Bedi, managing director of AstraZeneca Pharma India, in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

The minister expressed gratitude to the pharma major for its initiative to provide the vaccines at the cost price.  

"The state technical committee on COVID-19 will work on a roll out plan in consultation with the pharma company and researchers to ensure that the vaccine reaches every citizen," said Sudhakar, adding that the Phase 1 trials for the vaccine was over and the phase 2 and 3 trials were underway.  

Karnataka will be one of first states to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to its citizens on priority. "The state technical committee, along with Central assistance, will identify priority groups like health warriors, persons with low immunity and comorbidities, children, pregnant women and lactating mothers, and the elderly and chalk out plans to reach the nook and corner of the state," said Sudhakar. 

The vaccine is currently being tested for its efficacy and safety in Mysuru-based JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, as part of the phase 2 trials, said the minister. 

"In all, 1,600 volunteers in India will be administered the vaccine. In the phase 1 trial, non-infected volunteers aged 18 to 55 years were given the vaccine, which was found to produce virus-neutralising antibodies. In phase 2 and 3, vaccine will be given to different age groups—5-12 years,  18-55 years and 55 and above—and the vaccine will be tested on the COVID positive patients, too," explained Sudhakar. 

"The clinical trials so far have shown the vaccine generated antibodies that have lasted for 56 days. Further research will give a clear picture on the contraindications and who can be given the vaccine," said Sudhakar, adding the state government would also be holding a meeting with Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, which has developed Covaxin, which has got the nod for third phase human trials. 

Hinting that the vaccine might be given free of cost in Karnataka, Sudhakar said, "Our Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa has made COVID testing and also treatment free. You can be sure the state government is committed to safeguard the health of our people." 

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