The Union Health Ministry on Friday hinted that World Health Organization’s emergency use authorization to Covaxin is expected soon. In this regard, the Strategic Advisory Group of Expert on Immunization (SAGE) will be meeting on 5 October to grant EUA to Covaxin.
“There is a procedure of submitting the documents for approval. WHO’s emergency use authorization to Covaxin is expected soon,” said Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar who is currently the Union Minister of State in the Health Ministry.
According to Bharat Biotech, Phase-3 clinical trials of Covaxin demonstrated an efficacy rate of 77.8 per cent. All the relevant trial data has been submitted to WHO for Emergency Use Listing (EUL) and all clarifications by the UN health agency have been responded to Bharat Biotech.
“We have responded to clarifications sought by WHO and are awaiting further feedback. As a responsible manufacturer with several prequalified vaccines, we do not find it appropriate to speculate or comment on the approval process and its timelines,” the Hyderabad based company said in a statement.
Earlier speaking to ANI, Chairperson of National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration and Member of Health for NITI Aayog, Dr V.K. Paul said that the WHO’s approval for Bharat Biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin is likely to come before the end of this month.
The WHO has approved COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson, Moderna and Sinopharm till date. As of date, India is using three vaccines against Covid-19 in its immunization drive. These include two made-in-India vaccines—Serum Institute of India’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. The Russian Sputnik V is the third vaccine that got approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for Emergency Use Authorisation.
Amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on Friday informed that even if the third wave comes in the country, its intensity will be low. Dr Shekhar C. Mande, Director-General, CSIR, said, “We have been able to get a large population vaccinated with the first dose and even with the second dose. Our vaccines do prevent the disease to a large extent. If tested positive after being jabbed, the severity of Covid-19 is also reduced. Even if the third wave comes, then the intensity will be low and much less than compared to the second wave.”
On Thursday, Union Health Ministry has also allowed door-to-door Covid-19 vaccination at home for people belonging to the differently abled category and those with restricted mobility.
The second wave of Covid-19 swept across India in April-May this year with corona positive cases breaching the four-lakh mark per day. Several states imposed lockdown to stem the spread of the deadly pathogen.
The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has warned of a third Covid-19 wave peak in October in its recent report to the Prime Minister’s Office. The NIDM’s report quoted the Reuters’ opinion survey of 40 experts that forecasted that the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to hit India between 15 July and 13 October 2021.
WITH ANI INPUTS