Visakhapatnam: The Visakha Institute of Medical Science (VIMS) hosted the third phase of the clinical trial of Covid-19 intranasal vaccine (BBV154) here on Saturday.
VIMS is the only hospital in Andhra Pradesh among 17 locations in the country to have the trials of the Covid-19 nasal vaccine that is meant for people who have never got vaccinated so far.
VIMS director Dr Rambabu said that clinical trials would be carried out in different phases on the people aged between 18 and 65 years.
This nasal drop is safer and more simple than the administration of the vaccine by injection.
Dr Rambabu said that nearly 3,000 volunteers will be given the vaccine across the country including nearly 40 at VIMS.
"We have given the first dose of the vaccine to a 20-year-old youngster in Vizag. Four volunteers were administered the doses," Rambabu said.
Dr Rambabu said that nasal vaccine stimulates both systemic and mucosal immune responses by creating an immune response in the nose. This way it helps in prevention of the infection as well the transmission of the virus, he added.
Once the clinical trials are completed, the government would open the doses for the general public shortly in the next few months, Dr Rambabu added.
