Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Gujarat on Saturday, during which the name of the Covid-19 vaccine may be announced. The name of the ongoing trial vaccine in Sola Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad may be “Aatmanirbhar” (self-reliant).
The Prime Minister will also visit and inspect the Zydus company’s plant in Ahmedabad. Vaccine work at the Zydus company plant has reached its final stage. Zydus is currently developing a vaccine called ZyCov-D. The Prime Minister’s programme is currently being finalised.
A top official at Zydus Healthcare told The Daily Guardian that the trial of the ZyCov-D vaccine being developed by Zydus is in its final stages. And both trials have shown good results in the past. Under these circumstances, if the third phase trial is successful and the regulatory authorities approve it, the Covid-19 vaccine will hit the market very soon. He added that Prime Minister Modi could visit Ahmedabad on Saturday to inspect the trials of the vaccine. Zydus Healthcare has been informed by the Prime Minister’s Office; so, preparations are currently being made at the plant where the vaccine is being tested by Zydus Healthcare.
The company has created an in-house manufacturing capacity of 100 million doses per year and has roped in a contract manufacturer to make additional capacities to make about 150 million doses a year. Regulatory agencies worldwide, including the Indian regulator the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), are expected to clear Covid-19 vaccines with an “emergency use authorisation” to start immunisation, once the vaccine successfully undergoes trials. An indigenously developed vaccine “Covaxin” by Hyderabad›s Bharat Biotech and ICMR›s National Institute of Virology in Pune and a vaccine out licensed by Pune-based Serum Institute of India from AstraZeneca and University of Oxford, are also currently undergoing the final phase of clinical trials in India.
Bharat Biotech has been brought to the Sola Civil Hospital for the “Aatmanirbhar” vaccine trial, which will be given at the Sola Civil Hospital from 10 am to 1 pm daily from Monday to Friday. In this regard, the committee has been formed for vaccination in Sola Civil. Dr Parul Bhatt told The Daily Guardian: “Today, five people have been vaccinated, and we are ready to give up to 25 vaccines a day in the next few days.” A form is filled out by the volunteer who comes for the trial. They are later vaccinated with a signature.
Meanwhile, after the Diwali festival in Gujarat, Covid-19 cases have risen alarmingly. The highest ever 1,560 cases have been reported in the state. As many as 70,820 tests have been done in the last 24 hours, out of which 1,560 reports have come positive, while 16 patients have died. As many as 1,302 patients have returned home after having recovered and the recovery rate has come down from 90.99% to 90.93%.
So far, over 1,500 cases have been reported thrice in Gujarat, among which 1,515 cases were reported for the first time on 21 November. This was followed by 1,510 cases on 24 November and 1,540 cases on 25 November and 1,560 cases on 26 November.
Regarding curfew and lockdown, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has once again clarified that an appropriate decision would be taken if the situation deteriorated, adding that no lockdown would be imposed in the state again. “Getting people treated is our priority. The government is committed to stopping the Covid pandemic. Four cities in the state will have night curfew and no curfew during the day,” he said.
Cases of Covid-19 are on the rise in Ahmedabad. Crowds are, however, flocking to the markets in the city. Due to the night curfew, vegetable lorries and crowds of people can be seen in the market in the morning. The government has released Covid guidelines in which wearing a mask has been made mandatory. Punitive action is also being taken against those who do not wear masks. As many as 958 people who went out without masks were tested in Ahmedabad from November 20-25 in all the seven zones. Out of these 958 people, 47 people tested positive, among whom 6 people were home quarantined and 41 were admitted under treatment in the Samaras Hostel.