Two COVID shots get India OK
One of approved vaccines is homegrown, making PM proud
NEW DELHI — India authorized two COVID-19 vaccines Sunday, paving the way for a huge inoculation program to stem the coronavirus pandemic in the world’s second-most-populous country.
The country’s drug regulator gave emergency authorization for the vaccine developed by Oxford University and U.k.-based drugmaker Astrazeneca and another developed by the Indian company Bharat Biotech.
Drugs Controller General Dr. Venugopal G. Somani said both vaccines will be administered in two dosages.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the vaccine approval a “decisive turning point to strengthen a spirited fight.”
“It would make every Indian proud that the two vaccines that have been given emergency use approval are made in India!” Modi tweeted.
Astrazeneca has contracted Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, to make 1 billion doses of its vaccine for developing nations, including India. On Wednesday, Britain became the first country to approve the shot.
India, however, will not allow the export of the Oxford University-astrazeneca vaccine for several months, Adar Poonawalla, Serum Institute’s CEO, said Sunday. The ban on exports means that poorer nations will probably have to wait a few months before receiving their first shots.
The move was made to ensure that vulnerable populations in India are protected and to prevent hoarding, Poonawalla said in an interview.
But questions have been raised by health experts over the vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech. They point out that clinical trials began only recently, making it almost impossible for the firm to have analyzed and submitted data showing that its shots are effective in preventing illness from the coronavirus.
India has confirmed more than 10.3 million cases of the virus, second in the world behind the U.S., though its rate of infection has come down significantly from a mid-september peak. It also has reported over 149,000 deaths.
The country’s initial immunization plan aims to vaccinate 300 million people by August 2021. For effective distribution, over 20,000 health workers have been trained so far to administer the vaccine, the Health Ministry said.
But the plan poses a major challenge. India has one of the world’s largest immunization programs, but it isn’t geared around adults, and vaccine coverage remains patchy. Still, neither of the approved vaccines requires the ultra-cold storage facilities that some others do. Instead they can be stored in refrigerators, making them more feasible for the country.