GOING VIRAL : MAKING OF COVAXIN

Going Viral records the encouraging story of tackling the pandemic in India and the efforts of all who have worked tirelessly to keep us safe. The COVID-19 pandemic caused enormous suffering across the globe. All countries irrespective of their economic, social and health infrastructure or cultural status plunged into unimaginable devastation. India also went through its share of despair and agony. As a nation, we fought this pandemic bravely with the all-round support of the government, scientific agencies and the public and came up with customized solutions to save the nation. The biggest among them was the development of an indigenous vaccine in record time. Going Viral is an honest attempt to take readers through the journey of India’s homegrown vaccine as seen through the eyes of Dr Balram Bhargava, a medical scientist and the director general of India’s apex medical research organization, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Starting with the report of a mysterious pneumonia-like illness from Wuhan to the detection of the first case, Bhargava shares his own experience while fighting the health crisis of the century. From the development of a robust laboratory network, diagnosis, treatment and serosurveys to new technologies and vaccines, the book touches upon the intricacies of science and challenges faced by our scientists during the fight against COVID-19.