<span style="color: #222222;">The Tamil Nadu Government has approved the trial of BCG vaccines in elderly persons to study its impact in reducing the intensity of Covid-19. In a release today, the government has said the study will be coordinated by the Chennai based National Institute of Research in Tuberculosis.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">AIR correspondent reports that BCG vaccine is originally intended for infants. It is aimed at removing the bacteria that causes tuberculosis. However, there is a growing belief that it may be useful in the fight against the virus SARSCoV2 also that causes Covid19.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Tentative results of a few preliminary studies show that countries administering the vaccine to their children have a comparative advantage over the others in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, the Indian Council for Medical Research ICMR asked the Tamil Nadu Government to approve launching such a study.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The state government has immediately agreed to the proposal and has announced that the research institution under the ICMR, the National Institute of Research in Tuberculosis, will soon begin administering the BCG vaccine to a group of elderly people over the age of 60. If the study gives strong evidence that it improves their innate immunity and reduces the morbidity and mortality rates, it will help global efforts to contain the evasive virus.</span><br />''