Haryana Minister, who participated in COVID-19 vaccine trial, tests positive for Corona
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij has tested positive for the coronavirus he shared this information via a tweet . Mr Vij, 67, said he is admitted at the Civil Hospital in Ambala. This news comes out to be a big shocker as just two weeks before he has participated voluntarily in a corona vaccine trial campaign. The minister also urged all those who had come in close contact with him to get themselves tested.
He tweeted, "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,".
On November 20, Mr Vij, who is also Haryana's Health Minister, participated in the third phase trial of Bharat Biotech's Covexin. He had earlier announced on Twitter that he will be the first volunteer in his state for the vaccine trials.
"The antibodies against the infection build up in a human being only after a specific number of days pass after the second dose of the vaccine is taken, since this is a two-dose vaccine. The minister in question has taken only one dose of the vaccine," the Union Health Ministry said after Mr Vij's announcement.
Bharat Biotech, that is developing the vaccine, said the clinical trials of Covaxin are based on a two-dose schedule, given 28 days apart. "The vaccine efficacy is determined after 14 days after the second dose. Covaxin has been designed to be efficacious when subjects receive both doses," the Hyderabad-based drug maker said, reacting to the news of the Haryana minister testing positive.
Covaxin has been evaluated in about 1,000 subjects in the first two phases of clinical trials, with promising safety and immunogenicity data.