ICMR to study efficacy of BCG tuberculosis vaccine against COVID-19 among elders

Approximately 1,500 healthy volunteers above 60 years of age will be administered one dose of 0.1ml BCG vaccine intradermally and followed up closely for a period of six months.

By: Longjam Dineshwori | | Updated: July 20, 2020 9:14 am

ऑक्‍सफोर्ड यूनिवर्सिटी की AZD1222 वैक्‍सीन का मानव ट्रायल हुआ सफल

As COVID-19 cases surge in India, lockdowns have been re-imposed in several parts of the country. With more than 38,000 fresh cases, India registered another record high for a single day on Saturday. On the same day, 545 more people succumbed to the virus, taking the total toll to nearly 27,000. India now stands in the third position in terms of the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world, after the US and Brazil. But India is also not far behind in the global COVID-19 vaccine race. It started a human trial of Covaxin, India’s first vaccine candidate against novel coronavirus infection, last week. Meanwhile, the India Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has decided to conduct a study to evaluate the effectiveness of the BCG vaccination in elderly individuals between 60 to 95 years of age living in COVID-19 hotspots in India. Also Read - 'Do not let your guards down': Centre asks states to deal COVID-19 violations firmly

The study will assess if Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine used against tuberculosis (TB) disease can help in preventing morbidity and mortality due to coronavirus among elderly people. The ICMR plans to carry out the study in six states – Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Delhi. Chennai-based ICMR’s National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT) will be leading the study. Also Read - Centre fixes COVID-19 vaccination price at Rs 250 per dose for private vaccination centres, but with a rider

Clinical trials using BCG vaccine undergoing across the globe

For more than 50 years, BCG vaccine is administered to newborn babies as a part of National Immunization programme in the country. The ICMR scientists want to see if the shots can also work against the COVID-19 virus. Several clinical trials using BCG vaccine are already underway on the elderly population across the globe. Also Read - 63% not willing to pay over Rs 600 for COVID-19 vaccine

“The study will document whether BCG vaccine can prevent the occurrence of the SARS-CoV-2 infection and its progression and death associated with COVID-19 among elderly individuals. The study uses the same BCG vaccine that is administered to newborn babies as a part of National Immunization programme for more than 50 years in this country,” Dr Subash Babu, Scientific Director at National Institute of Research in Tuberculosis told ANI.

“Based on the capacity of BCG to reduce the incidence of respiratory tract infections in children and adults, to exert antiviral effects in experimental models; and to reduce viremia in an experimental human model of viral infection, the hypothesis is that BCG vaccination will partially protect against mortality in high-risk, elderly individuals,” he added.

The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of BCG vaccination in terms of reduction in the cumulative incidence of hospital admission and Intensive Care Admission, reduction in the incidence of other respiratory febrile illnesses, and to determine the innate and adaptive immune responses generated by BCG vaccination.

Volunteers to be followed for six months

The study will involve approximately 1,500 healthy volunteers above 60 years of age. They will be administered one dose of 0.1ml BCG vaccine intradermally and followed up closely for a period of six months.

In Chennai, the ICMR will be working with the Greater Chennai Corporation and Tamil Nadu’s Department of Public Health in the study.

Apart from Chennai, the study will be conducted in five other centres across the country. These include

National Institute of Occupational Health, Ahmedabad in Gujarat
National Institute for Research in Environmental Health in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh
GS Medical College and KEM Hospital in Mumbai Maharashtra
National Institute for Implementation Research on Non-Communicable Diseases in Jodhpur
AIIMS, New Delhi.

Published : July 19, 2020 10:16 am | Updated:July 20, 2020 9:14 am

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