THIS FOREIGN VACCINE SHOWS PROMISING RESULTS, OFFERS RAY OF HOPE: HOW IS IT GOING TO BENEFIT INDIA?

The first set of results from clinical trials of Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine has showed positive effect. According to the results published by Lancet, a medical journal, the vaccine is safe and it also induces immune reaction.

Following the results, Indian vaccine manufacturer Serum announced that it would be seeking regulatory approvals for initiating clinical trials in India and start manufacturing the vaccine in large volumes.

Reportedly, the Institute has a manufacturing arrangement with British pharma giant AstraZeneca to produce a billion doses if the Oxford University vaccine candidate turns out to be successful.

"If our vaccine is effective, it is a promising option as these types of vaccine can be manufactured at large scale," the co-author of the study, Professor Sarah Gilbert, University of Oxford told the media.

"A successful vaccine against Sars-CoV-2 could be used to prevent infection, disease and death in the whole population, with high-risk populations such as hospital workers and older adults prioritized to receive vaccination," Gilbert added.

According to Times of India’s report, Serum Institute stated that the trials were supposed to commence in May on a few hundred patients and expected to begin by May and the manufacturing might commence by September or October. Serum also stated that the institute will be distributing the vaccine to middle and low-income countries across the world.