We don’t recommend BCG vaccine for COVID-19 until study proves it: ICMR

Apr 17, 2020

New Delhi, Apr 17 (ANI): ICMR Scientist, Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar said that the BCG vaccine is not recommended to fight COVID-19 until a study conducted is on it. On being asked on the use of BCG vaccine to fight COVID-19, Dr Gangakhedkar said, “ICMR will begin a study next week. Till we don’t have definitive results from this, we won’t recommend BCG vaccine, even for health workers.” On being asked about the genome sequencing of coronavirus by Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Dr Gangakhedkar said, “Gujarat Biotech did whole genome sequencing but it is not the first one. It had happened earlier as well. This virus has been in India for 3 months and the mutation of virus doesn’t happen too quickly. Whatever vaccine comes out now, it will work in the future as well (if the virus mutates).”