<p>The Indian Council of Medical Research has isolated the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) from 11 patients that could serve as the base material for efforts to develop a vaccine even though coming out with an indigenous shot would take at least 18-24 months even with expedited trials.</p>.<p>“Coronavirus is difficult to isolate. But the efforts by scientists of National Institute of Virology Pune have been successful and about 11 isolates of novel coronavirus 2019 are available which is a prime requisite for carrying out any kind of research related to viruses. Such isolates can be used for vaccine development,” said senior ICMR scientist Raman Gangakhedkar. The researchers have also sequenced the genomes of ten of the 11 isolates.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-live-updates-karnatakas-suspected-covid-19-patient-dies-799686.html" target="_blank"><strong>Follow live updates of coronavirus outbreak here</strong></a></p>.<p>“There are two ways of going for vaccine preparation. One is either you look at the sequences of the gene which then may lead to the development of antibodies, or you actually have the strain and then you try to develop a vaccine which is always an easier option,” he said.</p>.<p>But even with expedited clinical trials and approvals, it would take a minimum of one-and-half to two years to develop a vaccine, noted Gangakhedkar, who heads ICMR's epidemiology and communicable diseases division.</p>.<p>More than 20 vaccines are in development globally, and several therapeutics are in clinical trials. While the initial results of clinical trials are expected within a few weeks, said a WHO spokesperson.</p>.<p>ICMR also plans to launch a “sentinel surveillance” to check if there is any community transmission of the virus without any known connection to anyone's travel history.</p>.<p>Currently, all the 73 cases in India are linked to travel, which means someone visits an infected country, picks up the disease and transmits to others locally on return.</p>.<p>The community transmission, on the other hand, means people getting the infection without any known link to international travel.</p>.<p>The intervention measures like social distancing and closing down schools and sports event to avoid large gatherings are intended to prevent such community transmission.</p>.<p>The ICMR sentinel survey would try to find out evidence of community transmission using its national influenza network of 30 laboratories where people with pneumonia would be checked randomly to determine if they have pneumonia or COVID-19.</p>.<p>“We are working on protocols for sentinel surveillance. It would be launched once the protocols are ready,” Gangakhedkar said.</p>
<p>The Indian Council of Medical Research has isolated the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) from 11 patients that could serve as the base material for efforts to develop a vaccine even though coming out with an indigenous shot would take at least 18-24 months even with expedited trials.</p>.<p>“Coronavirus is difficult to isolate. But the efforts by scientists of National Institute of Virology Pune have been successful and about 11 isolates of novel coronavirus 2019 are available which is a prime requisite for carrying out any kind of research related to viruses. Such isolates can be used for vaccine development,” said senior ICMR scientist Raman Gangakhedkar. The researchers have also sequenced the genomes of ten of the 11 isolates.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-live-updates-karnatakas-suspected-covid-19-patient-dies-799686.html" target="_blank"><strong>Follow live updates of coronavirus outbreak here</strong></a></p>.<p>“There are two ways of going for vaccine preparation. One is either you look at the sequences of the gene which then may lead to the development of antibodies, or you actually have the strain and then you try to develop a vaccine which is always an easier option,” he said.</p>.<p>But even with expedited clinical trials and approvals, it would take a minimum of one-and-half to two years to develop a vaccine, noted Gangakhedkar, who heads ICMR's epidemiology and communicable diseases division.</p>.<p>More than 20 vaccines are in development globally, and several therapeutics are in clinical trials. While the initial results of clinical trials are expected within a few weeks, said a WHO spokesperson.</p>.<p>ICMR also plans to launch a “sentinel surveillance” to check if there is any community transmission of the virus without any known connection to anyone's travel history.</p>.<p>Currently, all the 73 cases in India are linked to travel, which means someone visits an infected country, picks up the disease and transmits to others locally on return.</p>.<p>The community transmission, on the other hand, means people getting the infection without any known link to international travel.</p>.<p>The intervention measures like social distancing and closing down schools and sports event to avoid large gatherings are intended to prevent such community transmission.</p>.<p>The ICMR sentinel survey would try to find out evidence of community transmission using its national influenza network of 30 laboratories where people with pneumonia would be checked randomly to determine if they have pneumonia or COVID-19.</p>.<p>“We are working on protocols for sentinel surveillance. It would be launched once the protocols are ready,” Gangakhedkar said.</p>
