Highlights
Raghavan said the virus emerged in 2019 in Wuhan and at that time it was generalist that could infect many mammal species
. The first phase saw two mutations every month, he said.
New Delhi: Principal Scientific Adviser K Vijay Raghavan has cautioned that people should be prepared to face new waves as the SARS-CoV2 evolves and mutates further. He said although vaccines are efficacious against new mutations like the UK one and the double mutant, surveillance and vaccine updates are needed as the virus mutates further.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, the country s top scientific officer said a combination of less cautionary measures, less immunity in the population from the first wave is driving the second wave, which has killed thousands and infected lakhs of people across the country. He, therefore, said that it is necessary to be prepared with changes in strategy in terms of vaccine and other kinds of situation.
Serum Institute to have 100 million doses of vaccine by early January
December 31, 2020
The Pune firm is yet to get emergency use approval in India Though it still hasn’t gotten a green signal from the drug regulator, the Serum Institute of India (SII) will have a stockpile as much as 100 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine ready in the first week of January because of proactive steps taken by the government, said Umesh Shaligram, Director of Research and Development at SII, on Thursday.
Taking part in a webinar on the science of vaccines, organised by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council, Shaligram hoped that its vaccine would receive emergency use authorisation from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) in a few days.