Indigenous ‘Covaxin’ against Coronavirus to be available by year-end, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan

New Delhi: – As per published information, 983 patients died in the last 24 hours and there was an addition of 68,898 new Coronavirus cases were added. While the number of Coronavirus cases are increasing in the country, there is some comforting information coming up. Union Health Minister informed that an indigenously developed vaccine, effective against Coronavirus, will be available by the end of this year.

The scientist and pharma companies around the world are engaged in a frantic race to develop a vaccine for Coronavirus. The companies involved in the development of the vaccine, are claiming to be in the final stage of the process. Bharat Biotech from Hyderabad in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research has developed a vaccine named ‘Covaxin’. Human trials of the vaccine were conducted only last week. It was claimed in the first human trials, that ‘Covaxin’ is safe.

Along with Covaxin, Zydus Cadila is developing a vaccine named ‘ZYCOV-D’. Whereas, Serum Institute of India is working on a vaccine in collaboration with Oxford-AstraZeneca. Serum Institute of India is preparing the vaccine of Oxford University and said that the effort is to bring the vaccine in the market as early as possible.

While trials of these vaccines are being conducted, the government has initiated steps for purchase of these vaccines. As per received information, the talk is that the government is contemplating a purchase of 5 million doses of the vaccines. After purchasing the vaccine, it will be first administered to the Indian defence forces and the COVID warriors. The government will monitor the supply and distribution of the vaccine and the distribution plan is under preparation.

Meanwhile, 983 patients died in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of deaths in the country to 54,849. Whereas, the total number of cases in the country has reached 2,905,824. In Maharashtra, 14,161 new Coronavirus cases and 339 deaths were reported. The number of deaths in the state has reached 21,698. The number of Coronavirus cases in the state has reached 656,450. In the last 24 hours, 303 policemen were found to be positive for Coronavirus and five policemen died.