WB governor offers to volunteer for COVAXIN trial

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar said that being the first servant of the state, he is ready to be administered with COVAXIN for the phase three trial. The vaccine is to be tested on 1,000 volunteers.

Kolkata: West Bengal Governor, Jagdeep Dhankar has expressed his willingness to be administered with COVAXIN as part of trails. He made the statement while inaugurating phase three trial of the vaccine in Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (ICMR-NICED).

Firhad Hakim, chief administrator of Kolkata Municipal Corporation was administered with the vaccine on December 2.

"Many people have expressed interest for being a volunteer. Being the first servant of the state, I am ready," he said."It is not the time to spread a hoax, rather rely on positivity without letting the guard down," he added.

The vaccine being developed indigenously in India would be tested on 1,000 volunteers. NICED Director Shanta Dutta said, "The trial on one thousand volunteers would be over in three months. Everyone is welcome. Before administering the vaccine, health check-up of volunteers would be done. We have received 350 applications till now".Sources said that trial of another COVID-19 vaccine would begin later in December in Kolkata School of Tropical Medicine (STM).

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According to reports, COVAXIN is being developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) along with Bharat Biotech. The trials approved by Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation is underway in Kolkata’s National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (ICMR-NICED). About 25 sites in 10 states would administer the trials.

When asked about the rift between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor, he said that Banerjee should first respond to his query. No matter what, he would adhere to the Constitution, added Dhankar.