Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Saturday (December 5, 2020) said that he has contracted coronavirus. The news comes within 15 days of him being administered a trial dose of COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin.
“I have been tested positive for Corona. I am admitted in Civil Hospital Ambala Cantt. All those who have come in close contact with me are advised to get themselves tested for corona,” the minister tweeted.
I have been tested Corona positive. I am admitted in Civil Hospital Ambala Cantt. All those who have come in close contact to me are advised to get themselves tested for corona.
— Anil Vij Ex – Home Minister Haryana, India (@anilvijminister) December 5, 2020
Earlier on November 20, he was administered a trial dose of Covaxin.
#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
He had tweeted on November 19, “I will be administered a trial dose of 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.”
I Will be administered 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.
— Anil Vij Ex – Home Minister Haryana, India (@anilvijminister) November 19, 2020
Meanwhile, India recorded 36,652 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. The overall COVID-19 cases reached 96,08,211, including 4,09,689 active cases and 90,58,822 recoveries.
Of these, Haryana has 14,329 active coronavirus cases. The state has also seen 2,23,973 recoveries beside 2,539 COVID-19-related deaths.The phase-3 trials are double-blinded and randomized, where 50% of subjects (participants in the trial) receive vaccine & 50% of subjects receive placebo,” said Bharat Biotech as reported by ANI
Covaxin, a potential vaccine against the novel coronavirus, is being developed indigenously by Bharat Biotech along with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The vaccine maker had earlier announced that it successfully completed an interim analysis of Phase 1 and 2 trials and is working on Phase 3 trials.
‘Didn’t receive second dose, Bharat Biotech clarifies as Haryana minister tests positive after Covaxin shot
Bharat Biotech has responded to the reports of Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij testing positive for COVID-19. Vij had taken Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, Covaxin, a fortnight ago. The vaccine developer said on Saturday that the Covaxin clinical trials are based on a 2-dose routine, the two doses are administered 28 days apart.
“The vaccine efficacy will be determined 14 days post the second dose. Covaxin has been designed to be efficacious when subjects receive both doses,” said Bharat Biotech in a statement. Vij was administered only the first dose of Covaxin on November 20, i.e., 15 days ago. This means he tested positive for COVID-19 before he was ever administered the second dose of the vaccine.
“Covaxin has been designed to be efficacious when subjects receive both doses and post the 14-day period after the second dose. The Phase 3 trials are double-blinded and randomised, where 50 percent of subjects will receive the vaccine and 50 percent of subjects will receive placebo,” Bharat Biotech added.
