Coronavirus Vaccine Not Possible Before 2021, Govt Officials Tell Parliamentary Panel

The earliest possible time by when a vaccine against Covid-19 would be ready in India could be the first quarter of 2021, officials told the Rajya Sabha standing committee earlier in the day.

(Representative Image/Getty)

New Delhi: As the global race by scientists and researchers to contain the novel Coronavirus outbreak continues, government officials on Friday told the Parliamentary panel on science and technology that it will not be possible to make the Covid-19 vaccine till at least next year. The earliest possible time by when a vaccine against Covid-19 would be ready in India could be the first quarter of 2021, officials told the Rajya Sabha standing committee earlier in the day. The claims were made by officials of Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the principal scientific adviser to the government during a presentation before the committee on Centre's preparedness for Covid-19 and beyond. The panel is chaired by senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who, along with six other members, attended the meeting. Sources close to news agency PTI said it was conveyed to the panel that a vaccine for Covid-19 could be available only by early next year. This was the first meeting of the panel since the nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 25. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said the delay in the resumption of parliamentary committee meetings was forced by circumstances beyond control. "I am glad that Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committees have resumed functioning, three and half months since the last sitting of Parliament on March 23rd," he wrote on Twitter.

I am glad that Dept. Related Parliamentary Standing Committees have resumed functioning, three and half months since the last sitting of Parliament on March 23rd.

— Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) July 10, 2020

Naidu said everyone was keen on resumption of work by these committees, "but the delay was forced by circumstances beyond our control". "Corona pandemic did cast a shadow on the working of these committees, which function on behalf of the Parliament," the vice president said. Naidu said all possible measures were taken to enable the committee meetings by complying with the norms of social distancing, wearing of masks etc. Earlier this month, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) director general Dr Balram Bhargava asked the principal investigators in the Covaxin trial for the Covid-19 vaccine to be launched by 15 August. Later on issuing clarification over the statement, ICMR said, "it is also important to promote indigenous vaccine development while at the same time ensuring safety, quality, ethics and adherence to all regulatory requirements."