Bharat Biotech's Covaxin gets SEC's nod, DCGI decision on vaccine likely tomorrow: Sources

Meeting for second consecutive day, Special Experts Committee (SEC) deliberating on Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) applications has submitted its recommendations to Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Saturday. expert panel has given its d for emergency use of Bharat Biotech's vaccine candidate as well. Hyderab-based pharma firm has partnered with ICMR to develop India's indigeus COVID-19 vaccine - Covaxin. drugs regulator is likely to give its decision on applications for COVID-19 vaccine candidates tomorrow. On Friday, SEC h recommended Serum Insititute's 'Covishield' for use against COVID-19 and h sought ditional efficacy reports from Bharat Biotech. 

SEC recommends Covishield 

With SEC giving a green signal to SII COVID vaccine candidate, firm remains only a step away from making Covishield India's first approved COVID vaccine. SII w awaits confirmation from Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) w. vaccine by SII is being developed in partnership with Oxford-AstraZeneca. tably, United Kingdom government h authorized use of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine couple of days ago, pushing its approval case inches ahe in India. 

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Pertinently, Serum Institute of India has alrey produced around 50 million doss of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine 'Covishield' and plans to scale it up to 100 million by March next year even as it awaits approval for emergency use authorisation, SII CEO ar Poonawalla said on Monday. 

3 crore front-liners to get free vaccine first

In a massive boost to India’s fight against Coronavirus pandemic, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan anunced on Saturday that free COVID-19 vaccines will be provided to most prioritised beneficiaries in first phase of anti-virus iculation drive in country.

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“In first phase of vaccination drive, free COVID-19 vaccines shall be provided across nation to most prioritised beneficiaries that include one crore healthcare workers and two crore frontline workers,” said Dr Harsh Vardhan in a tweet. He ded that details on how furr 27 crore priority beneficiaries are to be vaccinated until July are yet to be finalised.

On Saturday, Dr Harsh Vardhan reviewed preparedness for mega vaccination dry run that has got underway in every state and Union Territory. Currently, a dry run of COVID-19 vaccination delivery system is being conducted in 116 districts across 259 sites in India. aim of dry run is to test links between planning and implementation and to identify challenges. 

This is second dry run being conducted in country, first major run-through was held on December 28 and 29 where Centre conducted vaccination drive in four states, namely - Assam, Andhra Presh, Punjab and Gujarat, which h gone off smoothly.

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