AIIMS chief bullish on Bharat Biotech vaccine as final trials near completion

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Even as there is scepticism about Bharat Biotech’s Covid 19 vaccine Covaxin, its results of the phase III trials and the required data will be available within a few weeks, Randeep Guleria, director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences said, adding that it had already proved its effectiveness in producing antibodies. Guleria also noted that India could become the global hub of vaccine R&D as well as production in the wake of the Covid experience. He pointed out that a many more indigenous Covid vaccines were in the pipeline.</p>
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Addressing the All India Management Association's (AIMA) Foundation Day celebrations, he said,</p>
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“We should take whatever vaccine we can get to have antibodies,” he said. He asserted that it has been proven that taking vaccine reduces disease' severity.</p>
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The AIIMS chief also said that young children will also need to be vaccinated as soon as possible so that schools and colleges reopen, though the research is still unclear about the effectiveness of the vaccines in that age group.</p>
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The demand-supply balance is the key to making the vaccine available in the market, the doctor said. "Currently, the demand is much more than the capacity," he said. The government needs a list of all those who need the vaccine and it also needs to put everybody else on a list while developing the capacity to deliver vaccine to all of those, he added.</p>
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While everyone who wants access to the vaccine can have it right now but many of those already entitled to it including healthcare workers, are suspicious of the available vaccines because of the short development and approval period. The doctor said that the unused doses can be made available to those who want them but may not be eligible as per their age and health profile.</p>