Haryana’s Health Minister Anil Vij was on Friday administered a trial dose of potential coronavirus vaccine Covaxin here, becoming the first volunteer for the phase three trial of the vaccine across the country.
The trial of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin began in the State on Friday and the 67-year-old senior BJP leader was administered the dose at the Civil Hospital at Ambala Cantt.
First volunteer
Mr. Vij said he is the first volunteer in the country to take the dose in phase three trial of the vaccine. He is stated to be the first Cabinet Minister of any State government who has volunteered to take the trial dose of a potential vaccine against COVID-19.
The MLA from Ambala Cantt. had on Wednesday said the third phase of trial of Covaxin will begin in the State on November 20 and had offered to get vaccinated.
Covaxin is being developed indigenously by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research. Human trials of Covaxin had begun at Rohtak’s Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in July. A team of doctors from PGIMS, Rohtak, was present here, including Vice-Chancellor O.P. Kalra and Dhruv Chaudhary.
Civil Surgeon (Ambala) Kuldeep Singh told reporters that the Covaxin dose was administrated to Mr. Vij successfully.
Earlier, the Minister underwent some tests at the hospital where he was kept under observation for some time after being administered the vaccine. He later also attended his office in Chandigarh.
Mr. Vij said 1,000 volunteers will be registered for COVID-19 vaccine testing in Haryana. He said that a team of doctors will periodically examine the volunteers on which the vaccine will be tested. On Bharat Biotech developing the vaccine, Mr. Vij said, “It is a matter of pride that the Indian company is making this vaccine against the disease which has hit the whole world.”
Doctors said they will now be monitoring Mr. Vij over the next few months.
Last month, the vaccine maker said it had successfully completed interim analysis of Phase 1 and 2 trials.
