India sets up high-level task force to develop vaccine for coronavirus

News: The government formed a high level task force to research on coronavirus and develop a vaccine.

Facts:

  • Aim: To enable COVID-19-related research by academia, industry and international community.
  • Functions:
    • create clinical cohorts focussing on long term follow-up of people for better understanding of the disease.
    • collect bio-specimens which will form the basis for further trials of drugs and vaccines.
    • make a list of national and international organisations working on vaccine development
  • Central coordinating authority: Department of Biotechnology (DBT)