Mission Covid Suraksha

The Indian government-sponsored “Mission COVID Suraksha,” a training program for Indian candidates and researchers working on the COVID-19 vaccine. The government will support the clinical research, production, and licensing of Indian vaccinations to combat the viral attack under this goal. The Mission was designed to be a National Mission to bring to the citizens of the country should be given a safe, effective, economical, and easily available COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible, with an emphasis on AtmaNirbhar Bharat. The Mission’s purpose is to accelerate the creation of at least 5 to 6 COVID-19 vaccine candidates, with some of these being clinically tested and brought closer to licensing and market debut for regulatory consideration authority, as well as for implementation in public health systems. In this post, we will go over the funds set aside for this mission, as well as the goals and COVID vaccines being produced in India. This is especially significant in light of the approaching Government and Administrative examinations. 

What exactly is COVID Suraksha Mission? 

• The Government of India (GOI) has provided a Rs 900 crore stimulus package for Mission Covid Suraksha, the Indian Covid-19 Vaccine Development Mission.
• The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) will receive this money for the research and development of the Indian Covid-19 vaccine.
• Its goal is to promote Covid-19 vaccine development by establishing clinical trial locations and strengthening existing immunoassay labs, central laboratories, and adequate facilities for animal research, production facilities, and other test facilities.
• So far, the DBT has backed a total of ten vaccine ideas in academia and business.
• Five vaccine candidates are now in human testing, including the Russian vaccine Sputnik-V, with at least three more in advanced pre-clinical stages and expected to start human trials soon.
• The formulation of a good target product profile would be a vital component, ensuring that vaccines supplied throughout the mission have favoured qualities that are applicable to India.
• It will be executed by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council’s specialized Mission Implementation Unit (BIRAC)

COVID Suraksha Mission Objectives: 

This mission’s primary objectives are as follows: 

• Creating clinical trial sites, stabilizing existing laboratories, and assisting with internal and external quality control systems are all things that we do.
• Establishing uniform methods, training, data management systems, and disclosures.
• For animal toxicity research and clinical trials, the Mission will also provide capabilities for process development, cell line creation, and GMP batch production.
• Testing, manufacturing, licensing, and commercial distribution of potential vaccines.
• The formulation of an appropriate Target Product Profile is another important aspect of the aim. This will ensure that the vaccines provided as part of the mission have features that are beneficial to India. 

COVID-19 Vaccine Types:

Inactivated vaccines : 

• Inactivated vaccinations utilize a dead form of the germ that causes the disease.
• Inactivated vaccines do not always generate the same level of immunity (protection) as live immunizations. As a result, you may require repeated dosages over time (booster injections) to maintain immunity.

Vaccines that are live-attenuated: 

• In live vaccines, a weakened (or attenuated) form of the germ that causes a disease is utilized.
• Because these vaccinations are so identical to the natural illness they assist to avoid, they elicit a powerful and long-lasting immune response. Most live vaccinations require just one or two doses to provide lifetime protection against a pathogen and the illness it causes.

Vaccines against messenger RNA (mRNA): 

• For decades, researchers have studied and worked with mRNA vaccines, and this technology was utilized to create several COVID-19 vaccinations. 
• mRNA vaccines generate proteins that stimulate an immune response.
• mRNA vaccines provide various advantages over other forms of vaccinations, including quicker production periods and no chance of producing disease in the person receiving the vaccine because they do not contain a live virus.

Vaccines that are subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, conjugate: 

• Subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate vaccines use specific germ components like protein, sugar, or capsid (a casing around the germ).
• Because these vaccines only utilize certain portions of the germ, they produce a highly powerful immune response that is unique to critical sections of the germ. 
• They may also be used on practically everyone who requires them, including those with compromised immune systems and long-term health issues.

Vaccines against toxins: 

• Toxoid vaccinations include a toxin (harmful substance) produced by the pathogenic germ. Instead of the germ itself, they develop immunity to the elements of the germ that cause illness. That is, the immune response is aimed toward the toxin rather than the germ as a whole.

Vaccines against viral vectors: 

• For decades, scientists have been exploring viral vector vaccines. Some recent Ebola vaccines employed viral vector technology, and other researchers have focused on viral vector vaccines against other infectious illnesses such as Zika, flu, and HIV. COVID-19 vaccines were also created using this method.

Vaccines Developed Throughout the World:

Each vaccine developed throughout the world to combat the spread of the Novel coronavirus must go through a clinical study. As previously stated, ten vaccinations were provided as part of the COVID Suraksha mission, but only a handful of them made it to the human trials stage.

This is to guarantee that the medicine is safe for therapeutic reasons and will not harm the patients. The following COVID vaccines have successfully advanced to the human testing stage: 

1. Sputnik V

• Sputnik V is the first vaccination to be authorized and ready for use, named after the first artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik-I.
• Russia registered the vaccination. 

2. Covaxin

• It is an Indian vaccine developed in conjunction with the Indian Council of Medical Research by Bharat Biotech (ICMR).

3. ZyCoV-D

• This Indian vaccine was created by the pharmaceutical company Zydus.
• This vaccine was created in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology’s National Biopharma Mission (DBT).

4. BNT162b2

• It is an mRNA vaccine
• Pfizer, an American pharmaceutical corporation, created this COVID-19 vaccine.
• It is one of the only vaccinations that has shown to be nearly effective in preventing COVID.
• Pfizer was able to complete all of the trials and begin commercial distribution within a few months after its development.

Apart from those described above, a few more COVID-19 vaccine candidates that have not fared well are listed below:

1. Oxford University’s AZD1222
2. Beijing Institute of Biotechnology developed Ad5-nCoV.
3. Johnson & Johnson ad 26.COV2.S
4. Government of Canada and Quebec CoVLPs 

The World Health Organization has overseen all operations related to the transmission of the Wuhan coronavirus, including vaccinations and safeguards (WHO). 

Related Frequently Asked Questions & Answers:

1Q. List some of the candidates that are successfully worked on humans? 

Ans:

1. Sputnik V
2. Covaxin
3. ZyCoV-D
4. BNT162b2 

2Q. What is Mission Covid Suraksha? 

Ans: The Mission was designed to be a National Mission to bring to the citizens of the country should be given a safe, effective, economical, and easily available COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible, with an emphasis on AtmaNirbharBharat. The Mission’s purpose is to accelerate the creation of at least 5-6 COVID-19 vaccine candidates, with some of these being clinically tested and brought closer to licensing and market debut for regulatory consideration authority, as well as for implementation in public health systems. 

3Q. List the types of vaccines?

Ans:

1. Inactivated vaccines 
2. Vaccines that are live-attenuated
3. Vaccines against messenger RNA (mRNA)
4. Vaccines that are subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, conjugate
5. Vaccines against toxins
6. Vaccines against viral vectors

4Q. Explain the function of vaccine types?

Ans:

Inactivated vaccines :

• Inactivated vaccinations utilize a dead form of the germ that causes the disease.
• Inactivated vaccines do not always generate the same level of immunity (protection) as live immunizations. As a result, you may require repeated dosages over time (booster injections) to maintain immunity.

Vaccines that are live-attenuated:

• In live vaccines, a weakened (or attenuated) form of the germ that causes a disease is utilized.
• Because these vaccinations are so identical to the natural illness they assist to avoid, they elicit a powerful and long-lasting immune response. Most live vaccinations require just one or two doses to provide lifetime protection against a pathogen and the illness it causes.

Vaccines against messenger RNA (mRNA):

• For decades, researchers have studied and worked with mRNA vaccines, and this technology was utilized to create several COVID-19 vaccinations. 
• mRNA vaccines generate proteins that stimulate an immune response.
• mRNA vaccines provide various advantages over other forms of vaccinations, including quicker production periods and no chance of producing disease in the person receiving the vaccine because they do not contain a live virus.

Vaccines that are subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, conjugate:

• Subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate vaccines use specific germ components like as protein, sugar, or capsid (a casing around the germ).
• Because these vaccines only utilize certain portions of the germ, they produce a highly powerful immune response that is unique to critical sections of the germ. 
• They may also be used on practically everyone who requires them, including those with compromised immune systems and long-term health issues.

Vaccines Against Toxins:

• Toxoid vaccinations include a toxin (harmful substance) produced by the pathogenic germ. Instead of the germ itself, they develop immunity to the elements of the germ that cause illness. That is, the immune response is aimed towards the toxin rather than the germ as a whole.

Vaccines against Viral Vectors:

• For decades, scientists have been exploring viral vector vaccines. Some recent Ebola vaccines employed viral vector technology, and other researchers have focused on viral vector vaccines against other infectious illnesses such as Zika, flu, and HIV. COVID-19 vaccines were also created using this method.

5Q. What are the objectives of mission Covid Suraksha? 

Ans: 

• Funding for candidate vaccine testing, manufacture, licensing, and market distribution.
• Developing clinical trial locations, stabilizing existing laboratories, and aiding with internal and external quality control systems.
• Supporting the establishment of standardized protocols, training, data management systems, and disclosures.
• The Mission will also provide capabilities for process development, cell line establishment, and GMP batch manufacturing for animal toxicity investigations and clinical trials.
• Another critical component of the goal is the creation of a proper Target Product Profile. This will guarantee that the
  vaccinations introduced as part of the mission have desirable properties for India.