Centre clarifies Chhattisgarh govt's concerns over COVAXIN expiry date: 'Unfounded claims'

Refuting Chhattisgarh health minister T S Singh Deo's 'concerns' over COVAXIN, Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan on Thursday assured that the Bharat Biotech-ICMR vaccine was granted permission to manufacture by CDSCO following due procedure and evaluation. He added that only Covaxin and Covishield were being used for vaccination drive throughout the country. Terming Deo's concerns regarding the unavailability of expiry date on Covaxin trial as 'unfounded', he said that the same is mentioned on the label of vaccine vials.

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Chhattisgarh min: 'Covaxin must not be allowed'

On 10 January, Deo said the use of COVID-19 vaccine `Covaxin' must not be allowed in the state as its third-stage clinical trial data has not been published yet. Stating that he was not "confident" about asking people to take this vaccine, he added  'Its use should be avoided until its complete results are out'. As of date, the share of Covaxinis less than 11 percent of over 2 crore vaccine doses supplied to the states so far, as per govt data.

"On January 3, our experts and the government had kept fact this infront of us that Covaxin's phase 3 trial is not completed. They guessed the safety of the trial only from phase 1 and 2 trials and said that its immunogenicity has been proven, therefore this has been proved from emergency use. Therefore, the use of the words 'emergency use' gets a little confusing here. That is why it is my opinion that untill the final results of the vaccine are out, it should be stopped from usage," he said.

Chhattisgarh Health Minister says COVAXIN Covid vaccine shouldn't be allowed in the state

DCGI gives nod to COVISHIELD & COVAXIN

On January 3, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) VG Somani announced that the vaccines of Serum Institue of India (Covishield) and Bharat Biotech (Covaxin) have been granted permission for restricted use in an emergency situation. Covishield - a Recombinant Chimpanzee Adenovirus vector vaccine - has an efficacy of 70.42%, with interim safety and immunogenicity data of Phase-II/III trials submitted to the SEC. Covaxin - a Whole Virion Inactivated Corona Virus Vaccine - 22,500 participants vaccinated in Phase-III trials and was found to be safe as per the data available till date. After a day of heavy politicisation over the vaccines and their approvals, the two manufacturers - Serum Institute of India & Bharat Biotech issued a joint statement pledging global access to their vaccines. As of date, 70,17,114 vaccine doses have been administered.

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