On Tuesday, the Union Health Ministry said 4,54,049 individuals have been vaccinated with COVID-19 so far since the country’s vaccination drive started on 16 January.
Over a 24-hour duration, 2,23,669 individuals in 3,930 sessions were vaccinated for COVID-19, bringing the cumulative number of vaccinated individuals to 4,54,049 (7,860 sessions conducted so far) in the country, the ministry said.
The Union Health Ministry has reported that questions about adverse effects and serious issues tend to be negligible as of now.
“Data shows that we are in a comfortable situation and we would like to reassure you that the two COVID-19 vaccines are safe. We would like to reassure with the data we have seen that the two vaccines are safe. The vaccine hesitancy should end. How will we defeat the pandemic then,” he said.
The concerns about adverse effects & serious problems, as of now, seem to be insignificant. Data show that we are in a comfortable situation and we would like to reassure you that the two #COVID19 vaccines are safe: Health Ministry pic.twitter.com/sChPZl5sVE
— ANI (@ANI) January 19, 2021
So far, 4,54,049 people have been vaccinated, the official said. “Only 0.18 percent adverse events happened following immunization and 0.002 percent of people were hospitalized following immunization. These are fairly low and the lowest so far in the world in the first three days,” he said.
Game-Changer Vaccine
The Union Health Ministry announced on Tuesday that a nasal coronavirus disease vaccine (COVID-19) has been developed and is currently being considered for Phase I and Phase II clinical trials.
The Health Ministry said that a candidate for a nasal vaccine has been found and it could be a ‘game-changer’.
A nasal vaccine candidate has been identified. It has come for consideration for phase 1 and phase 2 trials. If it works then it could be a game-changer: Dr VK Paul, Member, Niti Aayog on COVID19 pic.twitter.com/PUbm2EFXWc
— ANI (@ANI) January 19, 2021
It was previously reported that the pharmaceutical firm based in Hyderabad, Bharat Biotech, developers of the indigenous ‘Covaxin’ shot, had also sought permission from the central government to conduct clinical trials of its coronavirus intranasal vaccine.
Days after receiving the nod for restricted emergency use of India’s first indigenous coronavirus vaccine from the Drug Controller General of India, Bharat Biotech applied to the drug regulator for permission to launch Phase 1 and 2 trials of their nasal coronavirus vaccine.
“A nasal vaccine candidate has been identified. It has come for consideration for phase 1 and phase 2 trials. If it works then it could be a game-changer,” news agency ANI quoted NITI Aayog member, Dr VK Paul, as saying.
The official announced that after seven months, the number of active cases was around 2 lakhs and that the number was decreasing. Eight months later, the regular death toll was less than 140, the official said. More than 50,000 active cases occur only in the states of Kerala and Maharashtra, he said.