Vice President congratulates Bharat Biotech, ICMR for WHO's emergency use approval to Covaxin

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday congratulated Bharat Biotech and ICMR for developing Covaxin which got World Health Organization's (WHO) nod for emergency use on Wednesday.

"Happy to know that Covaxin, India's indigenous vaccine has been approved by World Health Organisation (WHO) for emergency use. Congratulations to Bharat Biotech, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and all others associated with the development of the vaccine," Vice President tweeted.

The WHO has issued an emergency use listing (EUL) for India's indigenous vaccine Covaxin, adding to a growing portfolio of vaccines validated by WHO for prevention of COVID-19.

In a tweet, the world body said that the Technical Advisory Group, convened by World Health Organisation (WHO), has determined that the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine meets WHO standards for protection against COVID-19.

"WHO has granted emergency use listing (EUL) to COVAXIN (developed by Bharat Biotech), adding to a growing portfolio of vaccines validated by WHO for the prevention of #COVID19," WHO said in a tweet.

"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 COVID-19, that the benefit of the vaccine far outweighs risks and the vaccine can be used," it added.

The global health body said that the Covaxin vaccine was also reviewed by WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), and recommended the use of this vaccine in two doses, with an interval of four weeks, in all age groups 18 and above.

Earlier, the WHO panel had sought additional clarifications from the manufacturer of Covaxin, in order to conduct a final EUL risk-benefit assessment for global use of the vaccine.

Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and AstraZeneca and Serum Institute's Covishield are two widely used vaccines in India against COVID-19. WHO has so far approved COVID-19 vaccines of Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca-SK Bio/Serum Institute of India, Johnson & Johnson - Janssen, Moderna, and Sinopharm for emergency use.

( With inputs from ANI )

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