DELHI: Amid growing global concern over the spread of the Ebola virus, efforts to accelerate the development of vaccines and treatments are underway. Researchers from the University of Oxford have teamed up with global partners, including the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), to fast-track vaccine trials.
Prof. Teresa Lambe, Head of Vaccine Immunology at the Oxford Vaccine Group, Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford, praised the Serum Institute of India as a highly agile and efficient organization. She stated that clinical-grade vaccine doses are expected to be ready within the next two to three months. Reports indicate that Oxford’s vaccine trials on animals have already commenced.
Prof. Teresa Lambe, who was also the co-designer of the ‘Oxford-AstraZeneca’ COVID-19 vaccine, specified that the research team aims to develop a single-dose vaccine, similar to the ‘Ebola Zaire’ vaccine.
In light of the worsening Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, the Union Government of India had previously advised citizens to avoid non-essential travel to these countries. Due to the Ebola threat, the India-Africa Forum Summit, which was scheduled to be held in Delhi, has been postponed, and the Health Ministry has strengthened screening and surveillance at airports. With no definitive cure or approved widespread vaccine available for the current variant, the World Health Organization (WHO) has already declared a global health emergency.
