ICMR's National Institute of Virology and Bharat Biotech are jointly developing a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2the virus that causes COVID-19.

"We will select healthy individuals and draw blood and send the blood samples to designated labs in New Delhi. They will give the green signal. Then the medicine people will examine and the first shot of the vaccine will be given due observation," NIMS director Dr K Manohar told PTI.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has identified 12 clinical trial web sites like medical hospitals and institutions, for example NIMS, and contains asked their principal researchers to ensure that the subject enrolment is initiated no later than July 7.

"Everything is going to be routed into ICMR, where data will be analysed. We have already started the screening of an individual. We will first take audio-visual permission of the average person," the health officer included. Asked about the total number of individuals required for that clinical investigation, Manohar said atleast 30 are expected.

The clinical trials proposition was placed before the NIMS hospital ethics committee. The Drug Controller General of India recently granted permission to commence Phase I &amp; II human clinical trials such as COVID-19 Vaccine COVAXIN.

ICMR had declared that it intends to launch COVAXIN by August 15. "It is envisaged to launch the vaccine because of public health usage latest by 15th August 2020 after completion of clinical trials. BBIL is working expeditiously to satisfy the mark, however, the last outcome will be dependent on the collaboration of clinical trial sites involved with this undertaking," ICMR had said.