The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is being manufactured in partnership with the Serum Institute (Archive)
New Delhi:
As AstraZeneca reported Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine could be around 90% effective without serious side effects, Adar Poonawalla, whose Serum Institute is producing the injection in India, said he was “delighted.” He said the low-cost vaccine would soon be widely available.
“I am delighted to hear that Covishield, a low-cost, logistically manageable vaccine that will soon be widely available, the # COVID19 vaccine will offer protection up to 90% in one type of dosage regimen and 62% in the other regimen dosage, “Tweeted Adar Poonawalla.
I am delighted to hear that Covishield is low cost, logistically manageable and will soon be widely available, # COVID-19 vaccine, will offer protection up to 90% in one type of dosing regimen and 62% in the other dosing regimen. More details on this will be provided tonight. https://t.co/KCr3GmROiW
– Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) November 23, 2020
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is being manufactured in association with the Serum Institute.
With an efficacy of around 90 percent, positive results from an interim analysis of AZD1222 clinical trials in the UK and Brazil, the vaccine has been shown to be highly effective in preventing COVID-19, AstraZeneca said Monday.
Oxford reported that a dosing regimen was 90 percent effective when the vaccine was given as a half dose, followed by a full dose at least one month apart. Another dosage regimen shows an efficacy of 62% when two full doses are administered at least one month apart. The combined analysis has an average efficacy of 70 percent, AstraZeneca said in a statement.
The Serum Institute of India is aiming to have 100 million doses ready by December for an inoculation campaign that could begin across India that same month, Adar Poonawalla told Bloomberg earlier this month.
The world’s largest vaccine maker, which has partnered to produce at least 1 billion doses, could get emergency clearance from the government in December, he said.
Last week, Poonawalla said at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit that the Oxford vaccine should be available to healthcare workers and the elderly around February 2021 and in April to the general public, and will be priced at a maximum. from ₹ 1,000 for two doses to the public, depending on final trial results and regulatory approvals.
.
