India / Haryana Minister Anil Vij administered trial dose of COVAXIN, video surfaces

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij was administered a trial dose of COVAXIN at a hospital in Ambala on Friday, a video of which has surfaced online. Vij had earlier offered to be the first volunteer for COVAXIN's 3rd phase trials and had later said he would be administered the dose under the supervision of an expert team of doctors.

Vikrant Shekhawat : Nov 20, 2020, 02:36 PM

Rohtak: Haryana Health Minister and BJP leader Anil Vij, who had offered to be the first volunteer in the phase three trials for potential coronavirus vaccine Covaxin, has been administered a trial dose on Friday.

Vij was administered the trial dose at the Civil Hospital at Ambala Cantt, the BJP leader said on Twitter.

Earlier in a tweet, Ani Vij said: "I will be administered a trial dose of Coronavirus vaccine #Covaxin a Bharat Biotech product Tomorrow at 11 am at Civil hospital, Ambala Cantt under the expert supervision of a team of doctors from PGI Rohtak and Health Department. I have volunteered to take the trial dose."

On 18 November, the Ambala Cantt MLA had said the third phase of trial of Covaxin will begin in Haryana on 20 November and had offered to be the first volunteer to get vaccinated.

#WATCH Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij being administered a trial dose of #Covaxin, at a hospital in Ambala.

He had offered to be the first volunteer for the third phase trial of Covaxin, which started in the state today. pic.twitter.com/xKuXWLeFAB
— ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2020

"Trial for third phase of Covaxin a coronavirus vaccine product of Bhart Biotech to start in Haryana on 20th November. I have offered myself as first volunteer to get vaccinated," Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij tweeted.

In Haryana, Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma University of Health Sciences in Rohtak and ESIC hospital in Faridabad have been identified among those sites across the country where trials will be conducted, according to Bharat Biotech's statement.

Potential Covid-19 vaccine

Covaxin, a potential Covid-19 vaccine, is being developed indigenously by Bharat Biotech along with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Vaccine maker Bharat Biotech had earlier announced the commencement of phase-3 trials of Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin. The phase-3 trials will involve 26,000 volunteers across India and will be conducted in partnership with ICMR.

Also, volunteers who wish to participate in this trial should be adults over 18 years of age.

The company earlier said that it has successfully completed interim analysis of Phase 1 and 2 trials and is working on Phase 3 trials.

This is the largest clinical trial conducted for a Covid-19 vaccine in the country.