Vaccine development during the COVID-19 pandemic has progressed at a ‘pandemic’ speed. Various clinical trial phases have overlapped and a lot of investments have been done by the government and industry so that all the processes can run parallelly. There has been no compromise on safety and efficacy. Due to these remarkable timely efforts, India is known as the hub for COVID-19 vaccine production, deliberated Dr. Randeep Guleria, Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences in the 5th Meeting of Managing Committee of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry for 2020-21.

While congratulating the efforts and support of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Guleria mentioned that India has come a long way fighting against all odds in these crucial times. It has been a challenging time but we have come together as a nation and done extra-ordinary things. COVID-19 vaccine has been widely touted as the most effective public health measure to end the pandemic. The first vaccine has received authorization in countries like Russia, the USA, UK, Canada, and UAE. It has led to widespread optimism about the ‘beginning to the end’ of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Randeep Guleria shared that vaccines are currently the most promising approach for controlling the covid-19 pandemic. There are over 52 candidate vaccines in human trials and over 150 are in preclinical trials. The various viral platforms under trials are DNA/RNA (Nucleic Acid), protein subunit, viral vector vaccines, live attenuated, inactivated, and VLPs.

While explaining the vaccine design, Dr. Guleria explained the broad issues to be focused which included the selection of antigen; selection of vaccine platform; vaccination routes and regimens. We have a vaccine that exposes the body to an antigen that won’t cause disease but will provoke an immune response that can block or kill the virus of a person who becomes infected.

Dr. Guleria opined that the world has never before needed to implement mass immunization of its entire adult population. These have financial, logistic, and social challenges. The pandemic will only be over when it is under control globally. An international initiative like the COVAX Facility will ensure equitable distribution of the vaccines worldwide.

Dr. Randeep Guleria discussed the vaccine delivery and distribution that will be monitored via Co-WIN, a digital platform for COVID-19 vaccine delivery and management. The priority will be given to healthcare workers; frontline workers and, prioritized age groups.

Dr. Randeep Guleria emphasized that the COVID-19 vaccine development is a great achievement of modern medicine. This is only the first step in what has to be a global mass immunization campaign. However, it will likely be more than a year before the virus can be brought under control worldwide. Equitable global distribution of the COVID vaccine is imperative. Till then, public health measures need to be in place to constrain the spread of the COVID-19.

Mr. Sanjay Aggarwal, President, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry while moderating the session lauded Dr. Randeep Guleria’s diligent efforts in handling the pandemic along with managing the vaccination drive in the nation.

Mr. Pradeep Multani, Senior Vice President, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry while delivering a formal vote of thanks to the delegates and participants appreciated the efforts of Dr. Randeep Guleria for being a front-line warrior during the pandemic and handling the vaccination drive so that India becomes a COVID free nation.

The session was attended by the leadership, Former Presidents, Management Committee Members along with the secretariat of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.