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India has just approved two corona vaccines: British agent AstraZeneca and Indian internal development Covaxin. However, experts doubt the efficacy and safety of Covaxin.
By Bernd Musch-Borowska, ARD-Studio New Delhi, currently. Hamburg
The approval of the corona vaccine Covaxin developed in India has sparked a controversial debate. For the preparation of the Indian company Bharat Biotech there is still insufficient data from the third phase of clinical trial, he said. As a result, emergency approval for this vaccine should not have been granted at all, several health experts and politicians from the opposition Congress Party said.
The Indian regulatory authority for the pharmaceutical industry yesterday granted emergency approval to AstraZeneca’s so-called Oxford vaccine and the Indian drug Covaxin, clearing the way for the start of the world’s largest vaccination campaign. Vaccinations should begin within a week. Results from clinical trials in Great Britain were used as the basis for the Oxford vaccine.
Covaxin: “110 percent safe”?
The head of the regulatory authority, Venugopal Somani, rejected criticism of the Indian crown vaccine. Covaxin is 110 percent safe, Somani told a news conference in Delhi. Around 800 people participated in the first two phases of the clinical trial. “The results have shown that the preparation is safe and provides robust immunization.” According to Somani, the efficacy will be tested in the third test phase on more than 25,000 volunteers. About 22,500 have already been vaccinated across the country. “Based on the data we have so far, we can say that the vaccine is safe,” Somani said.
According to the government of India, up to 300 million people could be immunized against the crown by the middle of the year. Doctors and medical personnel, as well as other people considered to be of systemic importance, for example, police forces, are vaccinated first. Then it is the turn of people who are considered to be at special risk due to their age or previous illnesses.
Execution of test in vaccination centers
In recent days, tests have been carried out in numerous vaccination centers around the country. An attempt was also made to clear up doubts about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines.
Pooja Moriya, a nurse from Delhi, reports that she has been on duty for months due to the coronavirus, including during the lockdown. “In the last few days we had numerous meetings about vaccines. It was explained how everything works. Our superiors said we need not be afraid. Because I was a little scared at first, ”says the nurse.
50 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine in stock
According to authorities, the Indian Serum Institute, the world’s largest manufacturer of vaccination products, already has 50 million doses of Oxford vaccine in stock. In total, the Serum Institute plans to produce 1 billion doses of the British vaccine. Initially only for use in India.
The emergency license does not allow exports at the moment, Serum Institute director Adar Poonawalla said in an interview with the AP news agency. The Delhi government wants to ensure that vulnerable groups in India are protected. Therefore, other countries, especially the poorest, are likely to have to wait a while before receiving their first doses of vaccines from India.
