ICMR-NICED submits proposal for oral Covid-19 vaccine

The ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) has submitted a proposal to the Department of Biotechnology under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology for research on an oral Covid-19 vaccine.

The director of ICMR-NICED Shanta Dutta said that the project will be undertaken in collaboration with a German firm that has been shortlisted for presentation.

“We have submitted a proposal to the Department of Biotechnology for research on an oral Covid-19 vaccine. The research will be conducted in collaboration with a German firm. Work will start once the project is approved and funded,” said Dutta.

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She also said that it will take five to six years to develop the oral Covid-19 vaccine adding that it will first be tested on animals as per the usual testing method for all vaccines.

“All stages and rules for developing a vaccine and phases of safety will be followed and the vaccine will first be tested on animals. It will take five to six years to complete the entire process and then only the vaccine will be available in the market,” said Dutta.