NEW DELHI, Feb 16 (NNN-PTI) – Indian federal Health Minister, Harsh Vardhan, said that, presently, at least 18 to 19 vaccine candidates against COVID-19 are in the pipeline, and in different stages of clinical trial.
Officials said, the new vaccines candidates are in preclinical, clinical and advanced stages.
India approved two vaccines, Covaxin, developed by Bharat Biotech and Covishield from Oxford University-AstraZeneca, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, for emergency use in the country.
The minister reiterated that the shots that are being currently given to healthcare and frontline workers were completely safe and effective.
The minister also said that, by yesterday, 8,285,295 beneficiaries had been vaccinated through 173,729 sessions across the country, since the beginning of the vaccination drive.
Vardhan said, the government will be in a situation to administer vaccines to those above 50 years of age in March, in the next phase of the vaccination drive. He said, the expert group on vaccination will discuss how to pay for vaccination of those above 50 years of age.
The vaccination drive in India started on Jan 16. At present healthcare and frontline workers are being vaccinated.
During the initial phase, around 30 million healthcare and frontline workers will be vaccinated, followed by those above 50 years of age and the under-50 population groups, with co-morbidities numbering around 270 million.
Yesterday, the federal health ministry said, the number of COVID-19 cases in the country had reached 10,916,589, and the death toll had risen to 155,732.– NNN-PTI
