India Corona thread

[VCheng]

A few of the projected costings @VCheng @T-123456 et al:

India sets aside $7 bn to vaccinate the world's second biggest population against coronavirus

Prime Minister Narendra Modis administration estimates an all-in cost of about $6-$7 per person in the nation of 1.3 billion, the people said, asking not to be identified as the details are private. The money provisioned so far is for the current financial year ending March 31 and there will be...

economictimes.indiatimes.com

• India is said to estimate two injections per person at $2 a shot
• Another $2-$3 is said to be set aside per individual as infrastructure costs such as storage and transport

$4 for two shots is actually a pretty good deal. Does the transport need refrigeration or dry ice? That can be problematic in warmer countries.

 

[Nilgiri]

Does the transport need refrigeration or dry ice? That can be problematic in warmer countries.

I would imagine it needs refrigeration yes... how to make (most) vaccines long term viable at room temperature and resilient overall is ongoing research area:

Thermal Stabilization of Viral Vaccines in Low-Cost Sugar Films - Scientific Reports

Most currently available vaccines, particularly live vaccines, require the cold chain, as vaccine efficacy can be significantly hampered if they are not stored in a temperature range of 2–8 °C at all times. This necessity places a tremendous financial and logistical burden on vaccination...

www.nature.com

I would assume findings there cannot be applied so quickly yet to a corona vaccine...since its new research area it looks like.

I would imagine for India the logistics of refrigeration etc are already computed in...but they could definitely be an issue for more remote regions and also for other developing countries.

 

[kaykay]

54k cases yesterday with 1.5 million tests.

 

[Nilgiri]

Covaxin, Bharat Biotech's Coronavirus Vaccine, Cleared For Phase 3 Trials

Covaxin, the coronavirus vaccine being developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has been cleared for the third phase of clinical trials.

www.ndtv.com

New Delhi:
Covaxin, the coronavirus vaccine being developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has been cleared for the third phase of clinical trials.

The Hyderabad-based vaccine maker had applied to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on October 2, seeking its permission to conduct Phase 3 trials for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

The firm in its application said that the study would cover 28,500 subjects aged 18 years and above and would be conducted in 19 sites - including Delhi, Mumbai, Patna and Lucknow - across 10 states.

Besides, Bharat Biotech, an indigenously developed vaccine candidate by Zydus Cadila Ltd is also in Phase 2 of human clinical trials.

The Pune-based Serum Institute of India, which has partnered with AstraZeneca for manufacturing the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate, is also conducting Phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials of the candidate in India.

(More at link)

 

[Nilgiri]

How India, unlike the West, has recalibrated the Covid-19 debate

The timing, duration and efficacy of the nation-wide lockdown imposed earlier in the year may continue to be questioned in the years to come. However, by clamping down hard, wide and early, India has firmly shifted the Covid debate to economic recovery – at a time when the Western world is...

economictimes.indiatimes.com

 

[Nilgiri]

Serum Institute to focus on supplying COVID-19 vaccine to India first

Poonawalla's comments came shortly after AstraZeneca said on Monday its vaccine could be around 90% effective, giving the world's fight against the pandemic a new weapon, cheaper to make, easier to distribute and faster to scale up than rivals.

economictimes.indiatimes.com

The Serum Institute of India, the world's largest manufacturer of vaccines by volume, will first focus on supplying AstraZeneca Plc's COVID-19 vaccine to Indians before distributing it to other countries, Serum's Chief Executive Adar Poonawalla said on Monday.

"It's very important we take care of our country first, then go on to COVAX after that and then other bilateral deals with countries. So I've kept it in that priority," said Poonawalla, referencing the global COVAX facility, which has been set up to provide COVID-19 vaccines to poorer countries.

The company remains in discussion with the Indian government about inking a purchase agreement for the vaccine, Poonawalla said in an interview with CNBC-TV 18, adding that Serum should have quantities of it ready to sell into India's private market in the first quarter of 2021.

Poonawalla's comments came shortly after AstraZeneca NSE 1.24 % said on Monday its vaccine could be around 90% effective, giving the world's fight against the pandemic a new weapon, cheaper to make, easier to distribute and faster to scale up than rivals.

Serum is hoping the data released earlier on Monday, along with preliminary data from the ongoing trial of the vaccine in India, will allow it to seek emergency use authorisation for the vaccine by year-end, before gaining approval for a full rollout by February or March next year, said Poonawalla.

He said the vaccine in the Indian private market would be priced at 1,000 rupees per dose ($13.50), but that governments signing large supply deals would likely buy it at lower prices.

Poonawalla also said that although Serum has the right to strike direct bilateral deals with more than five dozen nations, on the basis of its licensing deal with AstraZeneca, the company may include the government in some of these discussions.

Poonawalla said the company will be able to produce 400 million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine by July 2021 and scale up further from there.

 

[Indos]

I hope by erly next year mass vaccination have already been conducted every where in the world.

 

[Nilgiri]

I hope by erly next year mass vaccination have already been conducted every where in the world.

Depends how early you mean by early.

I dont see majority of ppl vaccinated worldwide well into mid or even late 2021 given the logistics etc.

Definitely though the most vulnerable to covid (elderly and underlying conditions) will be prioritised, barring any serious longer term effects that appear later from the trials done now.

With that prioritisation, the mortality will be stopped largely (and hopefully early 2021 as you say) as rest of population simply can function with herd immunity (given very low mortality rates below 70 years old)...till 2nd and 3rd tier prioritisation schedule comes to them etc. I dont think young kids need vaccine at all if you ask me, the risks might outweigh the benefit for them.

BTW India will play a huge role in all of this, it produces 60% of the worlds vaccines.

Earlier article about this:

India at heart of global efforts to produce Covid vaccine

Country plays central role in development, manufacture – and possible distribution – of potential vaccines

www.theguardian.com

I think oxford vaccine will likely be the best one (in total delivery) as its cold chain logistics are the least stringent...and its dosage price also looks very reasonable (quoted right now as low as 3 GBP per shot) Pfizer etc are highly picky+expensive w.r.t that...but let us see.

 

[Nilgiri]

will be prioritised

Explanation how this likely will look like for India case:

Healthcare and frontline workers, elderly will need 600 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine

These numbers are being computed by the health authorities as they gear up for a massive immunisation programme to begin as soon as a coronavirus vaccine is available. The Centre will procure the Covid-19 vaccines directly from drug makers and distribute them to the states.

economictimes.indiatimes.com

NEW DELHI: The government has estimated that there are around 3 crore healthcare workers and frontline workers in high risk sectors who will receive the first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine, as and when it becomes available in the country.

This means up to sixty million doses, depending on the dosage regimens of different vaccines, will be reserved for the first group of people who will be vaccinated. Frontline workers will include police personnel, sanitation staff and others.

The second group of people to get priority are the elderly, with special focus on those with co-morbidities. These are estimated to be another 25-27 crore individuals, who could account for another 500-540 million doses.

(More at link)

 

[Jackdaws]

It's going to be a massive challenge. Modi has also antagonized a lot of state CMs and satraps probably like no PM before him ever has.

 

[Nilgiri]

 

[Nilgiri]

Australian Ambassador to India Barry O’Farrell said that only India can satisfy the world’s demand for Covid-19 vaccines. His comments come after the Indian government took foreign diplomats to vaccine labs for briefing. He said, “There are many vaccines being produced in countries around the world. But there's only one country that has the manufacturing capacity to produce sufficient quantities to satisfy the demand of citizens in every country. And that's India. This is another example of the moment in which India will shine, because of the strength of this sector and the planning that has gone in. I suppose that's not unexpected from a country that itself has suffered so many pandemics in the past.”

 

[Nilgiri]

Bit of a tangent, but related in the end to the whole effort we have going on in the modern day too:

@Joe Shearer you ever come across this gentleman and his connection to India?

Waldemar Haffkine: The vaccine pioneer the world forgot

Waldemar Haffkine created the world's first vaccines for cholera and plague. Then a disaster derailed his life.

www.bbc.com

 

[Joe Shearer]

Bit of a tangent, but related in the end to the whole effort we have going on in the modern day too:

@Joe Shearer you ever come across this gentleman and his connection to India?

Waldemar Haffkine: The vaccine pioneer the world forgot

Waldemar Haffkine created the world's first vaccines for cholera and plague. Then a disaster derailed his life.

www.bbc.com

Of course! The Haffkine Institute is still famous world-wide, surely. This was another factoid leading to the belief in certain Indian academic circles that Jews were the only intellects to be regarded with respect - with great respect akin to reverence - for their acumen. We Bengalis carried it one stage further; the phrase,"Yehudi'r moto phorsha!" is still heard in older circles (Kolkata had a significant Jewish community).

 

[Nilgiri]

Serum Institute of India’s CEO Adar Poonawalla spoke on the Covid-19 vaccine production and roll-out. SII, world's largest vaccine maker, is producing Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine. SII has applied for emergency use license for vaccine in India. Poonawalla said India will get 50% of whatever SII produces. "India is a part of 'COVAX'. We will keep giving 50 per cent of everything we make to India and to COVAX at the same time. India has such a large population that we will probably end up giving the majority of those 50 million doses to India first," Poonawalla said. Watch the full video for more.

 

[Jackdaws]

Bit of a tangent, but related in the end to the whole effort we have going on in the modern day too:

@Joe Shearer you ever come across this gentleman and his connection to India?

Waldemar Haffkine: The vaccine pioneer the world forgot

Waldemar Haffkine created the world's first vaccines for cholera and plague. Then a disaster derailed his life.

www.bbc.com

Haffkine Institute in Bombay is very well known.

 

[Jackdaws]

The Astra Zeneca / Oxford vaccine will probably be approved in the next few days for rollout in India. Personally, that's the one I'd prefer along with Moderna and Pfizer. Not sure about the Bharat Biotech one.

 

[Jackdaws]

India becomes first country to culture U.K. variant strain​

Coronavirus | India becomes first country to culture U.K. variant strain

"U.K. variant of the virus, with all signature changes, is now successfully isolated and cultured at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) from the clinical specimens collected from UK-returnees," the ICMR said.

www.thehindu.com

 

[Jackdaws]

A few of the projected costings @VCheng @T-123456 et al:

India sets aside $7 bn to vaccinate the world's second biggest population against coronavirus

Prime Minister Narendra Modis administration estimates an all-in cost of about $6-$7 per person in the nation of 1.3 billion, the people said, asking not to be identified as the details are private. The money provisioned so far is for the current financial year ending March 31 and there will be...

economictimes.indiatimes.com

• India is said to estimate two injections per person at $2 a shot
• Another $2-$3 is said to be set aside per individual as infrastructure costs such as storage and transport

From March / April, Serum Institute will no longer supply vaccines just to the Government. A certain % will be available at chemists at about $8 / injection. A significant amout of people will be able to buy them too.

 

[Jackdaws]

Here it is - 2 vaccines officially approved -

India's Wait Over, Drug Regulator Says Covid Vaccines Cleared "110% Safe"

Two vaccines for coronavirus, Oxford University's Covishield, which is being developed by the Pune-based Serum Institute, and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, received emergency approval from the country's drug regulator on Sunday. "We'll never approve anything if there is slightest of safety concern...

www.ndtv.com