17 volunteers under observation for medical symptoms
A total of 17 volunteers have been administered Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine at Pune’s Noble Hospital over the past three days as part of the human clinical trials, doctors said.
Volunteers are currently under observation for any medical symptoms, according to hospital authorities.
Sputnik V vaccine has been developed by the Gamaleya National Research Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology and Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF). India has purchased 100 million doses of the candidate from Russia, according to reports.
“Seventeen healthy volunteers were administered Sputnik V vaccine in the last three days as part of human trials,” Dr SK Raut, Head of Clinical Research Department of Noble Hospital here, said.
The selection of the volunteers was done as per the laid-down norms as they need to be healthy, doctors said.
The volunteers were selected randomly and now will be followed up for the next few days. The volunteers have been given an online form to fill in if they notice any flu-like symptoms.
“The storage temperature of the vaccine is minus 20 degrees celsius till it is injected. It has to be thawed and liquified before it is injected. This is the second vaccine undergoing trials in Pune,” said the doctors.
Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has expressed concern over the fact that even if the vaccine comes out in December and is approved by the ICMR, the inoculation or the administering of the vaccine would be only possible in the next two to three months.
PTI
