In view of the coronavirus outbreak, the Chief Minister has given approval to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for studying the efficacy of the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine on senior citizens at its National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT) at Chennai.

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This comes after ICMR sought the Tamil Nadu government's permission for the study. The ICMR's tuberculosis institute is set to begin the trial very soon for coronavirus-infected senior citizens aged between 60 to 95. The Tamil Nadu Health Minister Dr. C Vijayabaskar said the BCG vaccine is aimed at reducing the COVID-19 mortality rate among senior citizens. "BCG vaccine shall be administered on a trial basis for adults aged 60-95, ordered by Hon'ble CMO Tamil Nadu. This is aimed at reducing the COVID mortality rate in senior people. National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis will start the pilot program soon," he said in a tweet. 

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