Renu Swarup, Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology, said that five sites across the country are ready for the third and final phase of human trials of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. This is an essential step because it is necessary to have data within the country before the vaccine is administered to Indians, Swarup said. "DBT is closely working with every manufacturer and Phase 3 trial of Serum (institute) is important because if the vaccine has to be successful and it has to be given to the Indian population we need to have the data within the country. For that a Phase 3 trial has been proposed. Five sites are ready. Within some more weeks, they should be ready for manufacturers to take them up for clinical trial studies," the DBT secretary said.