Kottayam: Researchers all over the world are trying hard to find vaccines and medicines for the novel coronavirus disease which has left the whole world stunned. In Kerala, the researchers with the Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam are working on COVID spread prevention methods and the development of vaccines.
Two of the ongoing researches at the university are focussed on the disinfection techniques for Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits being used by the health workers engaged in the frontline COVID 19 fight.
The team led by University Vice-Chancellor Dr Sabu Thomas guides the researchers. The University research team is hopeful that a component called curcumin isolated from turmeric can help in the prevention of COVID. Of the three research projects being carried out, curcumin is an inevitable factor. Giving a coating made of titanium dioxide, curcumin and some other components in their nano form, to the PPEs and masks can help check the spread of COVID, says one study.
Dr Sabu Thomas said that another research is based on developing a vaccine for COVID 19, with the help of antibodies isolated from convalescent COVID patients. The duration of these research projects are three years and the cost is estimated at Rs 3 Crores. All the research activities on COVID prevention at MG University is in collaboration with other national and international universities and research centres.
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