India set up high-level task force to develop vaccine for coronavirus

Government of India has formed a high level task force to research on coronavirus and develop a vaccine. The task force will also coordinate with international community on vaccine development process for coronavirus.

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Key-Points

The high-level task force will be co-chaired by Member, NITI Aayog, and Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Professor K Vijay Raghavan.

The central coordinating authority of the task force is the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).

The task force is to set up a process for vaccine development.

It will make a list of national and international organizations working on vaccine development. DBT will monitor the progress of research works and also facilitate the process.

The task force will create clinical cohorts that focus on long term follow-up of people for a better understanding of the disease. It will also collect bio-specimens which will form the basis for further trials of drugs and vaccines. This is different from sample testing protocols.

Over 70 clinical trials are taking place all over the world to find a vaccine for coronavirus. At least 5 have entered the human trial stage. Indian companies, including the Serum Institute, Zydus Cadila, Bharat Biotech and Biological E are also working on the vaccine, but they are in the preclinical stage.