WHO Regional Director congratulates India as Covaxin receives EUL nod

The South-East Asia Regional Director of World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh has commended India on Wednesday for the Emergency Use Listing of Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin. Quoting WHO Regional Director Dr Singh, WHO South-East Asia tweeted, “Congratulations India for Emergency Use Listing of its indigenously produced #COVID19 vaccine COVAXIN.”  

The WHO has approved Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, for Emergency Use Listing (EUL) on Wednesday. Further, the UN health agency committee had previously requested additional explanations from Covaxin's producer in order to undertake a final, comprehensive EUL risk-benefit assessment for the vaccine's global usage. 

Covaxin gets clearance from TAG-EUL along with WHO's SAGE

The clearance was based on the suggestion of the Technical Advisory Group for Emergency Use Listing (TAG-EUL) which is basically an independent advisory committee that advises WHO as to whether a COVID-19 vaccine should be classified for emergency use under the EUL protocol. 

Covaxin by Bharat Biotech and Covishield by AstraZeneca and Serum Institute are the two most extensively administered vaccine shots in India. Furthermore, The WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) assessed Covaxin and advised that it can be given in two doses with a 28-day or four-week gap in all age groups 18 and higher. 

Covaxin was shown to be 77.8% efficient against symptomatic COVID-19 and 65.2% effective against the novel Delta variant in phase 3 studies. Covaxin was even given emergency use permitted by the Covid-19 Subject Expert Committee (SEC). 

The WHO's authorisation of Covaxin would make it easier for persons who have been double-injected with it to travel to countries in which a vaccination certificate for WHO-approved vaccinations is required. Indians who are vaccinated with Covaxin will not be required to perform RT-PCR testing or undergo quarantine in countries that accept WHO-approved vaccines, which was earlier required. 

'Glad to see one more vaccine, Covaxin granted WHO's EUL': WHO Chief

Meanwhile, the Director-General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed delight on Twitter by saying that one more vaccine has been added to the Emergency Use Listing by WHO. He went on to say that the more medicines available to combat COVID19, the better. Further, he wrote, “but we must keep up the pressure to deliver #VaccinEquity & prioritize access to vulnerable groups who are still waiting for their 1st dose.” 

In addition to this, referring to the EUL, Dr. Mariângela Simo, WHO Assistant-Director General for Access to Medicines and Health Products, stated that this emergency use listing enhances the accessibility of vaccinations, the most effective medical instruments we have to stop the epidemic, as per a UN report. 

(Image: AP/ ANI)