Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said that at least four of the 14 candidate vaccines for novel coronavirus in the country may enter the clinical trial stage within five months. However, he cautioned that it is too early to expect any vaccine against the disease because there is a long due procedure involved in its development.
In a social media interaction with BJP leader GVL Narasimha Rao, the Minister said within five months, four of the vaccine candidates in the country may enter the clinical trial stage.
The Minister said, "The whole world is trying to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. There are over 100 candidate vaccines which are at different levels of development. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is coordinating the efforts. India is also actively contributing in it. There are 14 candidates in India also which are at different levels..." Vardhan said.
He said the Department of Biotechnology of the Ministry of Science and Technology is helping the academic world and industry in all manners such as giving regulatory clearances, grants or financial support, among other things.
"As far as I know, four of our fourteen vaccines will soon be in the clinical trial stage, within 4 to 5 months. All the 14 are right now at the preclinical trial stage."
It will take minimum one year for the development of any vaccine even if it is developed earliest. Therefore use social distancing, masks and follow hand and physical hygiene -- the biggest safeguard against the disease- till any vaccine or cure is found, said the Minister.
On Sunday, the Minister also visited the Dedicated Covid-19 Health Centre (DCHC) at Chaudhary Brahm Prakash Ayurved Charak Sansthan (CBPACS), Najafgarh , a first Ayurveda hospital in the country engaged in providing care to the Covid positive patients on the basis of principles of Ayurveda as per protocol of Ministry of AYUSH. In addition to the Ayurvedic and herbal treatments, the holistic approach also includes yoga, meditation, pranayam, etc.
Till date a total of 201 patients have been admitted in the CBPACS Centre. Of these, 37 patients have been cured and 100 patients have been advised home isolation. 19 patients have been shifted to Specialty hospitals on review of their medical condition. There has been no casualty in this Centre, said the government statement here.
Dr. RK Manchanda, Director (AYUSH) of the Delhi Government, Dr. Vidula Gujjarwar, Director-Principal, CBPACS along with senior faculty and doctors and Ministry officials were also present during the review meeting at the Ayush hospital.
Overall, the Minister said, the fatality rate in the country stands at 2.9% while recovery rate has improved to 41.2%.
Talking about the healthcare infrastructure setup across the country, he said, a total of 968 Dedicated Covid hospitals have been identified across the country with 2,50,397 beds (1,62,237 isolation beds + 20,468 ICU beds); 2,065 dedicated Covid health centres with 1,76,946 beds (1,20,596 isolation beds + 10,691 ICU beds); and, 7,063 Covid care centres with 6,46,438 beds.”
He further informed that States/UTs as well as central institutions have been provided with around 109.08 lakhs N-95 masks and around 72.8 lakh Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), as per the statement.