The Indian Council of Medical Research said on Tuesday that coronavirus reinfection is possible, but it is a “very rare” occurrence, PTI re...
The Indian Council of Medical Research said on Tuesday that coronavirus reinfection is possible, but it is a “very rare” occurrence, PTI reported. ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava made the remark amid suspected cases of reinfection being reported from abroad and from Indian states such as Telangana, Karnataka, Gujarat, Punjab and Maharashtra.
“We have seen that someone gets measles and he is supposed to be protected all his life because he generates certain antibodies, but then we have seen reinfection occurring in measles,” Bhargava told a press conference. “Similarly, we can have reinfection with COVID-19 as has been described by the case in Hong Kong and it is not a matter of serious concern.”
Last month, Bhargava had said it is not yet known how long immunity against coronavirus lasts.
Bhargava also said that two coronavirus vaccines being indigenously developed by Cadila and Bharat Biotech have completed Phase-1 trials. The results are being analysed, he added.
The Serum Institute of India is also conducting Phase-3 trials of a vaccine in collaboration with Oxford University. However, these trials were temporarily stopped at the direction of the Drugs Controller General of India after a volunteer in the United Kingdom fell ill. The Serum Institute got permission to resume the trials on...
