Covaxin may get approval within 24 hours, says WHO official
Last Friday, speaking on the Covaxin issue, a top official of the WHO said the process of thoroughly evaluating a vaccine for use and recommending it sometimes takes a long time but it has to be ensured that the right advice is given to the world.
A technical committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) could recommend emergency use approval to Covaxin withing 24 hours, the global health body's spokesperson said. Margaret Harris told journalists that the technical advisory group is currently reviewing data on India's indigenously-made vaccine against coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
"If all is in place and all goes well and if the committee is satisfied, we would expect a recommendation within the next 24 hours or so," news agency Reuters quoted Harris as saying at a UN press briefing in Geneva.
Millions of Indians have taken a Covaxin shot but many have been unable to travel pending the WHO approval.
The vaccine has been developed by Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech. It had submitted the Expression of Interest (EOI) for the emergency use approval as far back as April 19, but WHO has said it needs more data from the company before showing the green light.
Without a WHO nod, the two-dose Covaxin is unlikely to be accepted as a valid vaccine globally.
Last Friday, a top official of the WHO said the process of thoroughly evaluating a vaccine for use and recommending it sometimes takes a long time but it has to be ensured that the right advice is given to the world.
"The World Health Organisation is very clear that we want all countries to recognise vaccines that have been given an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) by the WHO advisory process. But it's also very important that WHO, when it makes a recommendation like that, is making that globally,” WHO Health Emergencies Programme Executive Director Dr Mike Ryan had said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Indian Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers on Saturday and discussed various issues including furthering the vaccine research. The meeting was held within days of the country achieving a key milestone of administering one billion doses of the jabs.
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