Coronavirus | Vaccine supplies likely from early 2021: Health Secretary

The Union Health Ministry mentioned on Tuesday that it was anticipating COVID-19 vaccine supplies to be accessible from early subsequent yr.

Addressing a press convention, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan mentioned: “If all goes well, we are looking at vaccine supplies coming in the first quarter of next year. There is a digital platform that is being enhanced to track on real-time basis the vaccine movement, from procurement, storage to distribution and administration.” He added that discussions have been underneath means on the Russian vaccine, Sputnik V.

Also learn: Coronavirus | One in 5 Indians could also be vaccinated by July 2021, says Harsh Vardhan

Balram Bhargava, director-general, Indian Council of Medical Research, mentioned their research had discovered no good thing about plasma remedy.

Combined trials

Meanwhile, an knowledgeable panel on the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has requested Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories to submit a revised protocol for conducting each phase-2 and three human scientific trials in India for the Russian vaccine, sources mentioned.

Also learn: Indian lab amongst 6 world institutes for COVID-19 vaccine testing

The Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical firm had utilized to the Drugs Controller General of India late final week, in search of permission to conduct phase-3 human scientific trials of the vaccine. The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19 on the CDSCO, which held its assembly on Monday, deliberated on the appliance and requested the agency to submit a revised protocol stating that it must conduct mixed part 2 and three scientific trials, sources mentioned.

The agency has been requested to offer another info as effectively.

Also learn: Coronavirus | COVID vaccine likely in early 2021, says Harsh Vardhan

“It means that Dr. Reddy’s laboratories will have to submit a new application. According to the Subject Expert Committee, they have to conduct both phase-2 and 3 clinical trials and cannot directly hold phase-3 trial for the vaccine in India,” a supply mentioned.

Dr. Reddy’s has collaborated with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to conduct scientific trials of Sputnik V vaccine in addition to for its distribution. Upon regulatory approval in India, RDIF shall provide to drug maker Dr. Reddy’s 100 million doses of the vaccine, the agency had mentioned final month.

884 deaths in 24 hours

Dismissing reviews of India having reached and crossed its COVID-19 peak, Mr. Bhushan mentioned that with competition season not far away, this was no time to decrease the guard.

Also learn: Coronavirus | Oxford vaccine trials to renew in U.{K}.

The Ministry mentioned that 48% of COVID-related deaths have been being reported from 25 districts in eight States, together with Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, including that the Ministry was in talks with these States to regulate the deaths. “The target is to bring down the overall fatality below 1%,” Mr. Bhushan mentioned. He added that 884 case fatalities have been reported previously 24 hours.

“India continues to report a trend of steadily declining active cases as a percentage of the total positive cases. Presently, the active cases comprise 13.75% of the total positive cases of the country, standing at 9,19,023. The declining trend of the percentage active cases is commensurately supported by the rising percentage of recovered cases. The total recovered cases stand at 56,62,490. The gap between recovered cases and active cases has crossed 47 lakh (47,43,467). Higher number of recoveries has aided the national recovery rate to further improve to 84.70%,” he mentioned.

The Ministry famous that 75,787 sufferers bought discharged within the final 24 hours whereas the brand new confirmed circumstances stood at 61,267.

“74% of the new recovered cases are concentrated in 10 States/Union Territories, namely Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Delhi, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal. Maharashtra alone has contributed the maximum with nearly 13,000 single0day recoveries,” mentioned Mr. Bhushan.

On the insurance coverage claims of deceased healthcare employees, the secretary mentioned that in 95 circumstances of deaths of healthcare employees engaged in COVID-19 duties, insurance coverage had been claimed for ₹50 lakh every. A complete of 176 claims are in course of. In addition, 79 claims are but to be obtained from totally different States.

Secretary (AYUSH) Vaidya Rajesh Katoch, who was current on the press convention, mentioned the Ministry had launched National Clinical Management Protocol based mostly on ayurveda and yoga for COVID-19 administration. He added that this protocol, which could possibly be adopted together with the usual remedy protocol, makes use of simply accessible and customary herbs and formulations resembling Guduchi, Ashwagandha and AYUSH-64, in treating gentle and asymptomatic COVID circumstances.

(With PTI inputs)