Immense efforts are on for next-generation COVID vaccines: Top expert

By Shalini Bhardwaj
New Delhi [India], September 2 (ANI): As the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be never-ending, scientists are working on next-generation vaccines and the top health expert said that a lot of efforts are on within the country for the development of vaccines.
According to Dr NK Arora Chairperson of COVID-19 working group NTAGI, “This whole concept of next-generation vaccine is that we don’t have to give repeated doses. The second is if we give the vaccine it covers the prevailing viruses and also future viruses better and the protection remains for a long time.”
The next-generation vaccines should have the capability to protect people from future viruses.
He said further some people are making strain-specific vaccines, some are also trying to prepare for bivalent or two types of viruses mixed together or four types of viruses mixed together.
“There is a lot of effort going on within the country. Some people are making strain-specific vaccines some are also trying to prepare for bivalent or two types of viruses mixed together or four types of viruses mixed together. So that there is a benefit of that it may take some time,” Dr Arora explained on types of Covid19 vaccines expected in future.
He further said that Indian companies and academics have taken up this challenge and over the next few months there will be more information about it.
“As I said, India is always trying to foresee and then prepare itself. So, whether we are talking about precautions similarly for next-generation vaccines. In line with the other global efforts, Indian companies and academics have taken up this challenge and over the next few months, we should hear more about it,” Dr Arora added.
Meanwhile, India on Friday saw a marginal decline in daily Covid-19 cases with the country recording 6,168 new infections in the past 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry data.
The country on Thursday logged 7,946 Covid-19 cases. Currently, India has 59,210 active cases.
The death toll has climbed to 5,27,932 with 21 new fatalities in the last 24 hours.
According to the Ministry, 9,685 COVID patients recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours taking the total number of recoveries in the country to 4,38,55,365. The recovery rate currently stands at 98.68 per cent.
Additionally, under the nationwide vaccination drive, 22,40,162 doses of COVID vaccines were administered during this period taking the total number of vaccine doses jabbed so far to 212.75 crore. (ANI)