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This week Serum Institute of India will begin Phase 2 trial of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

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  • Phase 2 trial of Oxford Covid-19 vaccine will begin at Bharati  Vidyapeeth Medical College and Hospital in Pune today
  • Around 1,600 people aged above 18 years are likely to participate in the trials.

The Serum Institute of India (SII), which has partnered with AstraZeneca for manufacturing the potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford, will start Phase 2 human clinical trials of the candidate this week.

The vaccine provokes a white blood cell response in the human body within 14 days of vaccination and an antibody response within 28 days.

The SII has been permitted for conducting Phases 2 and 3 human clinical trials of the candidate in India. To run the trials, the SII has selected 10 centers across the country, reported News 18.

The vaccine is in its Phase 3 trial in Brazil. In the United Kingdom, Phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccine candidate is running, while in South Africa, it is in Phase 1 and 2 trials, as per the report.In the earlier trials, volunteers, who were administered with two doses of the vaccine candidate, showed a strong immune response, said the report.The Oxford developed vaccine provokes a white blood cell response in the human body within 14 days of vaccination and an antibody response within 28 days, it suggested.

The report of initiating Phase 2 trials comes a day after the national expert group on vaccine administration for COVID-19 met representatives of leading domestic manufactures. The panel met representatives of SII, Bharat Biotech and Zydus Cadila, on August 17 to take inputs about the present stage of various candidate vaccines as well as their expectations from the government, said the Union Health Ministry.

The meeting was chaired by Niti Aayog member VK Paul and co-chaired by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan.

According to the report, Pune-based SII is the world’s largest manufacturer of vaccines in terms of volume.

The panel met separately representatives of the five firms — SII (Pune), Bharat Biotech (Hyderabad), Zydus Cadila (Ahmedabad), Gennova Biopharmaceuticals (Pune) and Biological E (Hyderabad).

The meeting was mutually beneficial and productive, the ministry said.

(With inputs from PTI)

Corona

Covid toll in Karnataka is a worrying sign for state government

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Even though Karnataka recorded the lowest number of Covid deaths in April since the virus struck first in 2020, the state is recording a rise in the positivity rate (1.50 per cent). Five people died from the Covid infections in April as per the statistics released by the state health department. In March, the positivity rate stood around 0.53 per cent. In the first week of April it came down to 0.38 per cent, second week registered 0.56 per cent, third week it rose to 0.79 per cent and by end of April the Covid positivity rate touched 1.19 per cent.

on an average 500 persons used to succumb everyday in the peak of Covid infection, as per the data. Health experts said that the mutated Coronavirus is losing its fierce characteristics as vaccination, better treatment facilities and awareness among the people have contributed to the lesser number of Covid deaths.

During the 4th and 6th of April two deaths were reported in Bengaluru, one in Gadag district on April 8, two deaths were reported from Belagavi and Vijayapura on April 30. The first Covid case was reported in the state in March 2020 and three Covid deaths were recorded in the month. In the following month 21 people became victims to the deadly virus, and May 2020 recorded 22 deaths. The death toll recorded everyday after May crossed three digits. However, the third wave, which started in January 2

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