‘Aim is to open branches of manufacturing firms in the capital’
The State government is again contemplating the prospects of vaccine production in the State and has initiated discussions with experts in the area of vaccine manufacturing, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Friday.
The government was exploring whether branches of vaccine manufacturing firms could be opened on the campus of the Institute of Advanced Virology in the capital, he added.
A webinar is being hosted to discuss the possibilities of taking this project forward, in which experts in the area of vaccinology, IAV scientists as well as the State Council for Science Technology and Environment will participate.
The scientists analysed 200,865 SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences from 155 countries, which had 2.58 million mutations as of late last year as compared to the reference Wuhan strain.
Express News Service
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The five-member committee formed by the government to explore the possibility of developing a vaccine against COVID-19 has concluded that it is impractical at this stage.
However, it will recommend to set up vaccine manufacturing units on public-private partnership (PPP) model with the manufactures of the vaccine candidates that are in trial phase. On November 16, the state constituted a five-member committee to explore possibilities of collaborations for vaccine production and having a vaccine development unit, including protein-based biologicals like enzymes and cancer drugs. There are some practical difficulties. The vaccine is the need of the hour. For developing it, painstaking research efforts, resources and funds are required. Most importantly, it will take time, said a member of the committee.