The global search for a vaccine to treat the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has entered a crucial phase with at least three countries – the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada – beginning to administer vaccines for emergencies. These are shots of the Pfizer Inc-BioNTech SE candidate vaccine, which has also been approved for emergency use in several other countries.
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Meanwhile, the global Covid-19 case count is over 73 million with more than 1.6 million lives lost due to the virus, according to worldometers. Nearly 52 million people have also defeated the disease, the count shows.
These are the latest developments on the Covid-19 vaccine development front:
1. NITI Aayog Fellow Dr VK Paul said Tuesday that the Comptroller General of Drugs of India (DCGI) had recently granted approval for the Phase 1 and 2 trials of Gennova Pharmaceuticals Limited’s candidate vaccine with headquarters in Pune. The company’s vaccine candidate, called HGCO19, is based on the same technology (mRNA) as that used by the Pfizer vaccine candidate.
2. The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) said Tuesday that its preliminary analysis confirmed the safety and efficacy of Moderna’s candidate vaccine. A panel made up of outside experts is likely to approve the vaccine Thursday, and it will receive FDA approval soon. The agency’s announcement came a day after the Pfizer candidate’s vaccination campaign began across the country.
3. Oman joined the list of countries that allow the use of Pfizer’s candidate vaccine, its state agency reported Tuesday. The vaccine, according to local media, has been approved for use in people over 16 years of age. Oman joins neighboring Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in allowing the Pfizer candidate’s vaccine.
4. In an unusual measure, Indonesia plans to vaccinate its young people before its older people. The country will focus on vaccinating people between the ages of 18 and 59, starting with those working on the front lines, such as health workers, the police and the military.
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