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WHO approves Indian-made Covaxin vaccine

After months of delay, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has finally given emergency approval to Covaxin, the Indian domestically developed Covid vaccine which was rolled out as part of India’s vaccination drive.

The approval is good news for Indian travellers who received the vaccine, as it will now be recognised to allow entry into countries such as the US.

“The Technical Advisory Group, convened by WHO and made up of regulatory experts from around the world, has determined that the #Covaxin vaccine meets WHO standards for protection against #COVID19, that the benefit of the vaccine far outweighs risks & the vaccine can be used across the planet,” tweeted WHO on Wednesday.

The decision by the Indian government back in January to begin administering Covaxin, developed by Indian pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech, was initially mired in controversy over concerns it was being rolled out before all the efficacy data had been released.

It was administered in much smaller quantities than AstraZeneca, the only other approved vaccine in India. Figures from September show that Covaxin accounted for just over 12% of jabs in India.

Data released in July showed that Covaxin has an efficacy of 77.8% against Covid.

On Wednesday, health minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted: “This is a sign of a capable leadership. This is the story of Modi ji’s resolve. This is the language of the faith of the countrymen. This is a Diwali of self-reliant India. Thanking @WHO for granting emergency use listing (EUL) to Made-in-India #Covaxin,.”




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