Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday spoke to CEO of Serum Institute of India Adar Poonawalla over a video call to discuss the progress of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Naveen expressed happiness that the Serum Institute had partnered with Oxford University to develop COVID vaccine and sought his cooperation to begin early vaccination in Odisha once necessary clearances are obtained, a CMO press release said.
Patnaik congratulated Poonawal for the recent promising results that were published in the Lancet journal on the development of the COVID vaccine.
He further said the Odisha government will be in touch with the Serum Institute for this purpose. The Chief Minister also applauded the philanthropic activities carried out by Poonawalla.
Poonawalla appreciated the CM for getting in touch with Serum institute to know about the progress of vaccine and the results published in the Lancet.
He said that Oxford University vaccine has shown promising results in the first phase trial. In India, the next phase trial will start in mid-August and the vaccine will be ready by October-November this year, he added.
He further said Serum institute and state government can be work in tandem to carry forward the collaboration once the vaccines are cleared and commercially ready, the release added.
Among others, Chief Secretary, Chief Advisor to CMO, ACS Health and Secretary to CM (5-T) were present.
PNN