Coronavirus India vaccine update: Human clinical trial of ‘Covaxin’ — the indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine candidate — has begun at a hospital in Gorakhpur, according to PTI.
The Covaxin trial began on Thursday evening at Gorakhpur’s Rana Hospital and Trauma Centre, officials said.
Gorakhpur’s Rana Hospital and Trauma Centre is among the 12 institutes that have been earmarked for the clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Venketesh Chaturvedi, the Chief Administrative Officer of Rana Hospital and Trauma Centre, was quoted by PTI as saying that the COVID-19 Covaxin trials have begun under the supervision of physician Dr Ajit Pratap Singh and gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Sona Ghosh. So far, the COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to nine volunteers, he added.
The report stated that Gorakhpur’s Rana Hospital and Trauma Centre hospital has in the past conducted vaccine trials of typhoid and Japanese Encephalitis as well.
Chaturvedi added that a consignment of 34 Covaxin units developed by Bharat Biotech International was received by the hospital on Wednesday.
The Gorakhpur hospital has also received 20 Covaxin units developed by Zydus Cadila and it is expecting more vaccine trials soon.
The human trials of Bharat Biotech’s vaccine have begun at the hospital, and the trial of Zydus Cadila vaccine will also begin soon, he informed.
The nine volunteers who have received the vaccine so far are all “absolutely fine” and been under observation, Chaturvedi said.
He stated that the hospital was still looking for more volunteers who are healthy, class 12th pass and between 18 and 55 years of age.
And added that those fulfilling the criteria can contact the hospital on phone numbers — 8303028051 and 6388214084.
