Key Points –
- A UK Media reported British government sources have reported that the Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine may be ready in six months.
- The National Health Service (UK) is ready to begin mass vaccination immediately upon approval
- The Oxford-Astrazeneca named ‘Covishield’ in India is currently being tested in Phase-3 clinical trials in the country.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine candidate is leading amongst all other candidates in the process of trials, reported The Times citing British government sources. “We are looking at closer to six months and it is likely to be far shorter than that,” one such source reportedly said.
The United Kingdom’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has developed a protocol under which any approved vaccine will first be administered to all those aged over 65 years, followed by younger adults at higher risk. These groups would include people with serious health issues or ethnic minorities. People aged over 50 will be next in line, with younger adults following them.
The UK government has booked 100 million doses of the vaccine once it is ready for rollout and, in order to be ready as soon as possible, the doses are being manufactured even before it has proved successful. The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is ready to begin mass vaccination immediately upon approval.
In India, this vaccine is being tested in Phase-3 trials and Indian Pharmaceutical giant Serum Institute of India have made a licensing agreement to supply 1 billion doses of the vaccine to the Middle East and low income countries including India.
Scientists are hopeful that this vaccine will be able to prevent 50% of infections which is deemed the threshold of success, according to a media report.
Speaking to ANI, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Friday said that the vaccine for the virus can be expected in India by January 2021 if all goes as per the plan cautioning however that the initial availability of doses will not be enough for the entire country.
If the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is approved in the UK, it will mean good news for ‘Covishield’ – the Indian name for the Oxford vaccine which is currently undergoing phase-3 clinical trials.
