Karnataka to get Covid vaccine by early 2021?

Claiming that the phase 2 and 3 vaccine trials were underway, Minister K Sudhakar said: "The state technical committee on COVID-19 will work on a roll out plan in consultation with the pharma company and researchers to ensure that the vaccine reaches every citizen." 

Karnataka Health & Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar has said that the state could get a Covid-19 vaccine by early 2021.

Addressing a press meet along with AstraZeneca Pharma India MD Gagan Singh Bedi in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Sudhakar said: "We are hopeful that the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University which is now under clinical trials, will be made available in India early next year. While most vaccines take 4-5 years for development, the research institutes and pharma companies have taken it up as a challenge to deliver the vaccine for COVID-19 at the earliest."

Claiming that the phase 2 and 3 trials were underway, the minister said: "The state technical committee on COVID-19 will work on a roll out plan in consultation with the pharma company and researchers to ensure that the vaccine reaches every citizen."

"Antibodies were produced in 28 days during first level of trials. The trials were conducted on healthy persons who are not infected. Second and third level trials involve vaccinating the persons who were recovered from Covid infection. If the trials are successful we will be issuing vaccines in the state once the central government approves it," the minister said.