India has come at number three in the world in terms of corona infection. The only ray of hope among growing cases of infection is the formation of its vaccine. But the biggest question is when will the corona vaccine be made and when will it reach people?
First came a circular of the Indian Council of Medical Research, i.e. ICMR, on 2 July, stating that by 15 August, India would produce a vaccine called Biotech Covaxin.
The ICMR subsequently issued an explanation on this circular. The clarification stated that the circular was issued only because government files continued to move faster in the process.
But the matter did not end here. Now, an article of the Institute of Science Dissemination under the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Central Government has stirred again.
This article has been written by Dr. T.V. Venkateswaran, Head of Science Communication Training Department of Vigyan Prasar for the Information Bureau (PIB).
According to media reports, it was mentioned in the article that the corona vaccine cannot come before 2021. But in many media reports, it has been claimed that the 2021 line was removed from the website of PIB immediately and uploaded the article again.
In such a situation, questions are arising that why the government is looking in a hurry regarding the corona vaccine? And can the process of making a vaccine be announced properly beforehand?
According to media reports, the Science Dissemination article stated that 11 of the 140 vaccine companies worldwide, along with India's Covaxin and Zykov-D, are in the human trials phase, but in getting licenses for its use It will take 15 to 18 months.
Before this, none of these vaccines is likely to be ready for mass use.
However, later this article removed the line 'It will take 15 to 18 months to get a license for its use'.
Now this article states that the approval of the Controller General of India for the Covid-19 for testing Indian vaccines, Covaxin and Zykov-D on humans is the 'beginning of the end' of the Corona virus epidemic.
This article still exists on the website of the Information Bureau (PIB). It has also been claimed in the article that wherever Corona vaccine is made in the world, it is not possible to get it in the whole world without its production in India.
The article published on the PIB website no longer mentions the time limit for the vaccine.
On this whole controversy, BBC correspondent Saroj Singh contacted Doctor TV Venkateswara over phone.
He refused to comment on the entire controversy. In a phone conversation with the BBC, he said, "These are all policy issues." It will be better if only the right people comment on it. As far as I'm concerned. I am with the revised version published on PIB.
Dr. Randeep Guleria, director of AIIMS in Delhi, has also made it clear in an interview with a private news channel that the talk of indigenous vaccine trials by August 15 seems impractical.
He made it clear in the interview that the objective of the ICMR letter was that every institution should move towards doing their work faster.
AIIMS in Delhi is also going to have a trial of this indigenous vaccine made by Bharat Biotech.
On the other hand, Biocon India chairperson Kiran Mazumdar Shaw also wrote on Twitter, "It is impossible to complete Phase 1 to 3 trials for the Kovid-19 vaccine in 6 months."
BBC Telugu correspondent Deepti Bathini spoke to Suchitra Alla, managing director of Bharat Biotech, hours before ICMR's letter.
Suchitra Alla said, "One thousand people will be selected in the first phase of the human clinical trial." All international guidelines will be followed for this. The election of volunteers will also be closely monitored. Those from all over the country will be selected for trials which are Covid-free. It will take at least 30 days to know what the reaction was on those people.
He added, "We do not know whether the geographical conditions will also have an impact." That is why we have chosen people from all over India. We want to make sure that it has a good response. It will take 45 to 60 days to submit the data for the first phase.
After taking blood samples, the test cycle cannot be reduced. Test results will take 15 days to reach us.
In India, all efforts are being made to prepare the Covid-19 vaccine. But still a lot needs to be done in this direction.
After the vaccine is ready, the first task will be to find out how safe it is. If it were to cause more problems than the disease, then the vaccine would not be of any benefit.
In clinical trials, it will be seen whether the vaccine is able to develop resistance against Covid-19 so that people do not get caught after taking the vaccine.
Even after the vaccine is ready, billions of doses will need to be prepared. The vaccine will also need approval from drug regulatory agencies.
Even if all this happens, the big challenge will remain. Arrangements will also have to be made for logistic arrangements to deliver its food to billions of people around the world.
