News Analysis India

Tag: Covishield

  • HC asks Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech to disclose capacity to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Thursday directed Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech to disclose their capacities to manufacture Covaxin, Covishield vaccines.

    The high court also asked the Centre to explain in affidavit the rationale behind keeping strict control over class of persons who can be vaccinated against COVID-19 currently as under the present system those above the age of 60 years or between 45 to 60 years with comorbidities can receive vaccination.

    A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli said the two institutes– Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech — have more capacity to provide the vaccines but it seems that they are not exploiting it fully.

    “We are not utilising it fully. We are either donating it to foreign countries or selling it to foreign countries and are not vaccinating our own people.

    So there has to be that sense of responsibility and urgency,” the bench said.

    It also asked the Delhi government to carry out inspection of medical facilities available in court complexes here and to report if COVID-19 vaccination centres could be set up there.

    The high court was hearing a PIL initiated by it to examine the demand of Bar Council of Delhi to declare all people associated with the judicial functioning, including judges, court staff and lawyers as “frontline workers” so that they could receive COVID-19 vaccination on priority and without limitations of their age or physical condition.

  • People should now be offered a choice of COVID-19 vaccine, feel experts

    Express News Service
    BENGALURU: With Bharat Biotech, the maker of India’s indigenous vaccine Covaxin, announcing its interim Phase-3 trial data on Wednesday, experts and the scientific community who have been eagerly waiting for the publication of the data, now say that the government should consider giving a choice to people between the two available vaccines — Covishield and Covaxin.

    “In any ideal situation, the government should give a choice of vaccination and vaccine. Now, the company is saying the vaccine has 81 per cent efficacy. We are waiting for the data to come out in public domain,” said Head and Neck Oncologist Dr Vishal Rao, who had written to the Health Ministry after emergency use approvals were given for both Covishield and Covaxin.

    Interestingly, virologists and health experts claim that they would prefer taking Covaxin over Covishield for various scientific reasons.

    ALSO READ | India made Covaxin 81% effective shows interim analysis of Stage 3 trial

    While the Union Health Ministry has clarified recently that no AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) deaths had occurred due to the vaccines, it may be noted that of those who died in many states after being administered the vaccine were given Covishield. 

    Also, the data released by the Health Ministry in mid-Febraury showed that the proportion of AEFIs by Covishield has exceeded that for Covaxin.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijayabaskar and many other leaders have been administered Covaxin.  

    ‘Covaxin covers more mutant strains’

    A senior virologist, on condition of anonymity, said, “While most of the ministers took Covaxin and it was made to look like an attempt to rapidly scale up the vaccination campaign while showing that Covaxin is safe, I am sure there would be hundreds of scientific minds who have advised the PM to take the vaccine with an inactivated virus.” 

    Covaxin is based on an inactivated whole SARS-CoV-2 virion, an old platform that is also used to make polio vaccines.

    Inactivated vaccines do not replicate and are therefore unlikely to revert and cause pathological effects.

    They contain dead virus — incapable of infecting people, but still able to instruct the immune system to mount a defensive reaction against an infection.

    Covishield, which has 62 per cent efficacy, is based on the viral vector platform.

    A chimpanzee adenovirus, called ChAdOx1, is the vector that has been modified to carry the coronavirus spike protein into human cells.

    ALSO READ | Covishield worked faster in people already infected with SARS CoV 2, shows study

    While the injected cold virus is harmless, it serves as an instruction manual for the body on how to fight against similar viruses. This platform is used for infections like Ebola.

    “Virologists believe that Covaxin covers more strains of mutants. I would say that this also would add to Covaxin’s advantage,” says Dr Vishal Rao.

    However, scientists, including Dr Rao, say they would still want to wait and watch and study the Phase-3 results.

    While the Central Government is said to be sending doses of Covaxin from mid-March to all states, Karnataka has reportedly received 3,56,340 doses of Covaxin, of which just 8,468 (2.3%) have been used so far. It is Covishield that is being administered in the third phase of vaccination in Karnataka. 

  • Covishield worked faster in people already infected with SARS CoV 2, shows study

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The first-ever data on the effectiveness of the Covishield vaccine in India has shown that it works faster in people already infected with Covid-19, but is also highly effective in those without antibodies against the virus after 28 days of the first dose.  

    The study titled ‘Effect Monitoring and Insights from Vaccination program of Healthcare Workforce from a tertiary level hospital in India against SARS-CoV-2’ has been carried out at the Max hospital in Delhi with the support of the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology. 

    As part of the study, the researchers measured antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 directed against the spike protein in a group of 135 healthcare workers administered Covishield. 

    The Oxford-Astra Zeneca Covid-19 vaccine AZD1222 or ChAdOx1 has been an important part of the global vaccine roll-out against SARS-CoV-2, and a locally manufactured version Covishield by the Serum Institute of India is the most commonly used vaccine in India so far.

    ALSO READ | India made Covaxin 81% effective shows interim analysis of Stage 3 trial

    The researchers found 44 subjects (32.5%) who had already developed antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 at day 0 or before immunization and it was observed that antibody response was significantly higher at each time point, with the maximum increase seen between days 0 and 7. 

    In contrast, the seronegative group, which had 91 individuals, started developing antibody response only after 14 days or later. Significantly, three seronegative individuals did not develop any antibody response even at day 28 of vaccination. 

    The scientists noted that median antibody response at 28 days in seronegative subjects was similar to that of seropositive subjects at baseline and was on a rising trajectory. 

    “Our data suggests that ChAdOx1 (Covishield) is highly immunogenic, particularly so where previous SARS CoV2 antibody-response is established,” said the scientists in their paper.

    ALSO READ | Tamil Nadu government to distribute Covaxin to private hospitals on request

    Given the high background seropositivity in India, this may be useful in determining optimal timing of the second dose during mass immunization within the constraints of vaccine supply and administration, they added. 

    Based on the results, the scientists have argued that the data could be utilized to design an effective vaccine strategy where vaccines could be prioritized based on sero-prevalence studies. 

    “Our data supports safely delaying the second dose in recipient groups with high sero-positivity,” they said. “This could be adopted as a universal strategy, given that the first dose seems to give adequate protection lasting for about three months in other studies, or could be one part of a dual strategy where high-risk or vulnerable populations receive the second dose earlier, while normal-risk subjects have a delayed second dose.” 

  • Have stock of over 44 lakh vaccine doses to to inoculate those eligible: Uddhav government

    The vaccination drive in the country was expanded from Monday to include people above 60 years of age and those aged between 45 and 59 who have co-morbidities.

  • India sent over 361 lakh COVID-19 vaccine doses to various countries: MEA

    MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said the supply of vaccines to countries will continue in the coming weeks and months in a phased manner.

  • Credibility of made-in-India vaccines evident in their high demand: Prasad

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The credibility of the made-in-India vaccines is evident with those being sought by and sent to a number of countries, which is an example of the success of “Aatmanirbhar Bharat”, a senior Union minister said on Wednesday.

    Responding to a query at a post-Cabinet meeting media briefing on questions being raised over the credibility of the made-in-India vaccines, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said as far as the “credibility (of India’s vaccines) is concerned, the products are going to dozens of countries. In many places, they have gone for free, whereas in other places, people are asking for them”.

    The vaccines are even being sent to Latin American countries, he added.

    “So this is an example of the success of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and we should sing praises that Indian products have made a place for themselves globally,” Prasad said.

    On leaders in other countries taking the vaccine shots first, he said it is about a point of view.

    “In many places, prime ministers and ministers are getting it done, here we thought that first we will get our health sector fighters vaccinated as that also increases credibility,” Prasad said.

    Union minister Prakash Javadekar, who also addressed the briefing, asserted that the vaccination in India has been the fastest, very successful, “faultless with hardly any complaints”.

    Asked if people would have a choice on which vaccine — Covishield or Covaxin — they want to take, he said the country is proud to have two vaccines, both of which are effective with proven efficacy.

    While Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield is being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India in Pune, Covaxin is being produced by Bharat Biotech.

    Government functionaries also flagged world leaders from various countries thanking India upon receiving the vaccine consignments.

  • 58-year-old woman clerk dies after second dose of Covishield in MP

    Express News Service
    BHOPAL: A 58-year-old woman clerk working in the health department died at a private hospital around 12 hours after getting a booster (second) dose of the Covishield vaccine in the Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh.

    Rajni Sen was working at the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) office, was administered the booster dose of the Covishield vaccine at around 3.30 pm on Tuesday.

    “She had no health problems before or after getting the first dose of the vaccine 28 days ago or before or after getting the booster (second) dose of Covishield on Tuesday afternoon. On Tuesday evening, she started feeling uneasy. She was admitted to Manorma Hospital in Barwani in the night,” the Barwani district CMHO Dr. Anita Singare said.

    “She died during the course of treatment at around 3 am on Wednesday at the private hospital,” Dr. Singare added. 

    ALSO READ | COVID-19: Maharashtra again reports over 6,000 cases; Centre asks five states to expedite vaccination

    The MP State Health Directorate has been informed and the autopsy report is awaited.

    “We’re collecting all relevant documents, including records pertaining to her treatment at the hospital on Tuesday-Wednesday night. Along with the autopsy report (once it’s out), all documents will be put before the district’s Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) Committee for discussion. Follow that, the matter will be referred for review at the state level,” the Barwani district CMHO said.

    This is the first death of any healthcare worker after the COVID-19 vaccination in MP.

    According to the state health department, a total of 32,529 healthcare workers had got the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the state till Tuesday evening, which was 9% of the targeted vaccination of health care workers.

  • SII CEO Adar Poonawalla asks countries, governments to ‘be patient’ over COVID vaccine supplies

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Pune-based Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla requested the countries to ‘be patient’ as they await the Covishield supplies, adding that SII is trying to maintain a balance between the needs of India and the world.

    “Dear countries and governments, as you await COVISHIELD supplies, I humbly request you to please be patient, Serum Institute of India has been directed to prioritise the huge needs of India and along with that balance the needs of the rest of the world. We are trying our best,” Poonawalla said.

    SII has been asked to prioritise India’s vaccine needs and balance it out with the supplies to the rest of the world who are procuring COVID vaccine doses from India.

    ALSO READ: Notices issued on plea saying Covishield unsafe

    India on Wednesday announced a gift of 2 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccines for UN peacekeepers.

    Earlier, he said that SII makes 70 to 80 million doses every month and the planning is underway for distribution to India and foreign countries.

    Poonawalla said many countries have been writing to India and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for vaccines to be supplied from Serum Institute to their countries and they are trying to make everyone happy.

    ALSO READ: Now, you can choose between Covaxin, Covishield in Tamil Nadu

    “We are trying to keep everyone happy. We have to take care of our population and nation as well. We are trying to supply the vaccine to Africa, South America. So we are doing a little bit everywhere. So we will try to keep everyone happy,” he had said.

    According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered to healthcare and frontline workers crossed over 1.08 crore so far in the country.

    The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16, 2021. The vaccination of the frontline workers started on February 2.

  • Second round of COVID-19 vaccination drive begins

    NEW DELHI: As the COVID-19 vaccination numbers crossed the 8 million-mark, administration of the second dose of the vaccine to those who took the first shot on day 1 of the nationwide inoculation drive on January 16 also began in several states. 

    Several healthcare workers, who had taken the first, lined up to receive the second shot – 28 days later – to complete the inoculation regimen, said an official.  However, officials maintained that while the second jab of vaccine (either Covishield or Covaxin taken as the first dose) is recommended 28 days later, it can be taken anytime between four to six weeks from the first dose.

    Of about 8 million healthcare and frontline workers who have received the first shot till Friday, the Union Health Ministry said, 97 per cent are “satisfied”. The number of people who have taken the shot so far reached 80,52,454 on Saturday, and 7,668 HCWs received the second dose on its first day.

    India has set a target of inoculating 30 crore people against COVID-19 by July which include those identified most at the risk of catching an infection or developing severe disease. In a statement on Saturday, the government said eight states account for about 60 per cent of the total beneficiaries vaccinated in India. 

  • Government places orders for 1.45 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The government has placed orders for 1 crore additional doses of Covishield from Serum Institute of India and 45 lakh more doses of Covaxin from Bharat Biotech, officials of the two vaccine makers said on Tuesday.

    India’s COVID-19 vaccination drive was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 16. Serum Institute has received another order from the government for 10 million doses of Covishield, a company official said in response to a query.

    The government had earlier placed a purchase order with Serum Institute of India (SII) for 1.1 crore doses of AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield. When asked, a Bharat Biotech spokesperson said, “The company has received a letter of comfort from the Government of India to supply another 4.5 million (or 45 lakh) doses.”

    The spokesperson also added that Bharat Biotech will also be exporting its COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, to Brazil and the United Arab Emirates. The company is also likely to export the vaccine to the Philippines and other South Asian countries, the spokesperson said.

    The government had earlier placed an order for 55 lakh doses of Covaxin from Bharat Biotech.