COVID-19 peak in Kerala possibly over, new cases will drop in next 2 weeks: AIIMS professor

New Delhi: Kerala has passed its COVID-19 peak and in the next 2 weeks, a decline in new cases should start in the state, AIIMS professor Dr Sanjay Rai has said.

"Earlier sero survey in Kerala suggest that most population was susceptible but latest sero survey shows that 46 per cent had antibodies due to vaccine or by infection. The measures are taken by the state only slows down the spread. By looking at the data of the virus spread in last 2-3 months, Kerala has passed its peak and in the next 2 weeks, a decline in cases should start. Just like North-East, Kerala should also start witness drop in COVID cases by the start of October as per the epidemiological picture," Rai said, according to ANI.

Rai further said that AIIMS will be starting Phase 2/3 trials of Hyderabad-based COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer Bharat Biotech`s nasal vaccine soon and the application has been put to seek the mandatory permission of the Ethics Committee.

"It is very early to say but we believe that future is promising for Nasal Vaccine as it can provide mucosal immunity, then infection prevention is possible. Most of the vaccines are not able to stop the infection, they only reduce the severity,’’ Rai said. 

“The Nasal vaccine has gone for ethical approval and after the approval, we will start the trial," said Dr Rai, who is also Bharat Biotech`s nasal vaccine clinical trial`s principal investigator.

The adenoviral intranasal vaccine BBV154 is the first of its kind COVID-19 vaccine to undergo human trials in India. 

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