India / 3 vaccine candidates in human trial stage on track: NITI Aayog

New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday said the three vaccine candidates for Covid-19 currently in the human trial stage are on track but pointed out that not every vaccine candidate can deliver successful results.

“Three vaccines in the human trials (stage) are on track. The information on the progress of the trial has been shared. The review was taken… Pricing is perhaps complex because some of them are at an early stage. This information will be refined as we move along. There is no firm information. But we have asked on a price range (of the potential vaccine) from individual manufacturers,” NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul, who also chairs the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration said.

Paul also said the results of two vaccines currently in human trial phases 1 and 2 “will be available in a few weeks”.

“They still have to look at the antibody titer and other results. It is not right to say on which date a vaccine will be termed successful and will be made available. It is a scientific process. It has to unfold. Let us wait and watch,” he said.

“I want to convey a word of caution. Don’t assume any vaccine going for trial will be successful. We want these three vaccines and others to succeed but keep in mind it is not always 100 per cent success when we develop vaccines. Let us keep our fingers crossed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that the average recovered Covid-19 cases are now more than 55,000 and the average positivity rate between August 12 and 18 has fallen to 7.72 per cent as against 9.52 per cent recorded the previous week.

“If we look at the new cases being reported from August 13 till today, we are seeing a trend in reduction of active cases. However, in the context of a pandemic, five days is too short a time… There is also a downward trend in terms of absolute numbers of deaths being reported and the fatality rate day-on-day. This is satisfying. However, there is no reason to slacken our guard. We have to implement testing, surveillance, and containment with the same efficiency,” Bhushan said.

Speaking on the weekly trend, Paul said, “The trend is reassuring. However, for a country of our size, to interpret the data for such a small period (of five days) is not right… We have to reduce deaths. We can scientifically control more cases… we have armamentarium for testing. Despite increasing the testing capacity, the positivity had come down. However, the challenge continues as a large population is still susceptible.”