GUWAHATI, Aug 14 - Bharat Biotech and ICMR have picked Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) as one of the testing centres for the Phase II trials of the indigenous COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin.
�Phase I trials of the vaccine has been successful. The second phase trial will start soon. I am happy that GMCH has been picked as one of the testing centres for the second phase trials,� Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, adding that paper works are on this regard.
According to the preliminary results of the Phase 1 trials, the COVID-19 vaccine is safe.
The Phase 1 trials are expected to be complete by end of August.
Phase II trials involve a larger pool of volunteers, split into focus groups of children, healthy adults and elderlies. Studies are done to study the safety, immuno-response, time taken to trigger a reaction and side-effects if any.
If the process continues smoothly, the vaccine should be available in the first half of 2021.