COVID-19: National Expert Group To Discuss Vaccine Protocols

Dr VK Paul, member (health), NITI Aayog

New Delhi: COVID-19 vaccine administration’s National Expert Group will meet on Wednesday to discuss the logistic, procurement and administration of the vaccine when it’s ready. The panel is headed by Dr VK Paul, member (health), NITI Aayog.

“The terms of reference of this expert committee are to streamline suitable vaccine selection, how procurement of vaccine will be done, how the vaccine would be delivered and prioritising groups to whom vaccine has to be administered,” said Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday.

“The committee will also consider other issues related to logistics of the vaccine like cold chain, inventory, how to arrange resources to procure vaccine and how to address the equity issues linked to vaccination,” Bhushan added.

The panel is likely to involve all stakeholders, including state governments and manufacturers of vaccine regarding the matter in Wednesday’s meeting.

Out of 24 vaccine candidates presently under various stages of clinical trials, three are at advances stages of phase three trials in the US, UK and China.