The World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday welcomed India’s decision to authorize the emergency use of Covid-19 vaccines.
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of the WHO South-East Asia Region, said: “The World Health Organization welcomes India’s decision to authorize the emergency use of Covid-19 vaccines.”
“The use of the vaccine in prioritized populations, along with the continued implementation of other public health measures and community participation, will be important in reducing the impact of Covid-19,” Singh added in a tweet.
India’s Comptroller General of Drugs VG Somani has formally announced approval for the emergency use of two coronavirus vaccines, one developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford and the other by local company Bharat Biotech.
“CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organization) accepts the reform rations of the committee of experts on the subject on the Covid serum vaccines and Bharat Biotech,” Somani said during a press conference. “The M / s Serum and M / s Bharat Biotech vaccines are being approved for restricted use in emergency situations,” Somani read in a written statement.
Somani said that the overall efficacy of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine was 70.42% and that of Covaxin from Bharat Biotech was “safe and provides a robust immune response.”
“We will never approve anything if there is the slightest security problem. Vaccines are 100% safe. Some side effects such as mild fever, pain and allergy are common to all vaccines, “he added.
The subject matter expert committee (SEC) of the Central Standard Medicines Control Organization (CDSCO) had recommended the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which is being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) as Covishield, for emergency use and Covaxin for restricted use.
Even before gaining approval from India’s primary drug controller, IBS stockpiled between 40 and 50 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, posing a significant risk should the drug regulator reject its application. Overall, Serum’s investment in Covishield is around $ 100 million.
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