The government of India’s Biotechnology Department has so far short-listed three companies for funding the development of a vaccine for COVID-19, besides 13 other proposals it received for diagnostics, therapeutics, and other interventions to fight coronavirus.
But then, India may not be the first to come up with the Vaccine as India’s efforts to develop a vaccine against the COVID-19 infection will take at least 12 to 18 months. All the vaccines in India are in Phase-1 (Animal Studies Phase). Several American Vaccines have reached the Human Trials Stage.
A Vaccine in the UK may come out by September, the researchers claim. In fact, Indian companies are looking at by the end of this year to get some sort of an idea as to whether they can move forward. India is currently more focused on the human clinical trials of the recombinant Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine that is considered an immunity booster.
The number of Coronavirus cases in the country is nearing the 20000 mark. The contagious virus already claimed more than 550 lives. The entire nation has been under the Lockdown from 24th March and until May 7th. Even though some relaxations are given in the non-hotspot areas from April 20th, the country has been largely shut.
