Kovacin: Why can the Indian vaccine be important in the fight against infection?

Presented by the World Health Organization on Wednesday, November 3rd Approval for emergency use of Kovacin Govit-19 vaccine manufactured in India He added a new tool in the fight against the corona virus that caused the current epidemic. It turned out to be that vaccine Recognized by the Eighth International Organization.

The vaccine is a development of the Indian Laboratory Bharat Biotech is a research organization of the Government of India in association with the Medical Research Council of India. This is the first product made by an Asian country. Other vaccines approved by the WHO They are Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Oxford / AstraZeneca (and its Indian version, Covshield), Sinovac and Sinoform.

The approval was celebrated by the Prime Minister of India. Narendra Modi, He emphasized his intention to make his country self-sufficient in the fight against epidemics. The Modi government was already exporting the vaccine to gain support in the geopolitical war with China, which used its large infrastructure projects to boost its image, The New York Times explained. In March, Modi received the first of two vaccines. In mid-October, more than 110 million doses were administered and became covaxin The second most widely used COVID-19 vaccine in India after AstraZeneca.

The WHO said in a tweet that Kovacs had met the standards for protection against Govt-19 and that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks. Growth against COVID-19 has an efficacy rate of 78 percent and should be administered in two doses at four-week intervals for adults, the vaccines are simpler than others, so it is suitable for poor and growing people. Countries.

Due to the shortage of vaccines in the world and limited access to them in India, covaxin Approved by the Drug Regulatory Authority of India last January after verification A 81% would be effective In clinical studies. A few months before the end of extensive human testing, concerns were raised from health experts that the vaccine had been approved in advance. Last July, Bharat Biotech Laboratory, A. in vaccineApproximately 65% ​​effective in preventing severe cases of COVID-19 and approximately 65% ​​with highly contagious delta variant.

This was pointed out by a panel of experts convened by the WHO There is currently insufficient information on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine for pregnant women. Studies are planned to solve these problems. It is also not recommended for use with covaxin in children.

Last Wednesday, India’s top drug regulatory authority said it was extending the shelf life of Covaxin by 6 to 12 months from the date of manufacture, based on data showing that it is safe and effective.

Modi, who received the first injection of the vaccine in March, said his country could produce it at the Group 20 summit in Rome last week. A total of more than 5 billion vaccines will be available next year to help the world fight the epidemic.

Kovacs are manufactured in three different locations in India, with a current production of over 50 million per month. The company said it aims to produce 1 billion doses by the end of this year.

The WHO approval comes after a lengthy review. The manufacturers applied in April and submitted the first batch of data to the agency on July 6, resolving a number of issues, including the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

Covaxin makers said in a statement Wednesday that WHO verification This will help expedite applications from countries that want to buy the vaccine.

June 4 Finally, the government of Buenos Aires announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding Agreement to purchase up to 10 million Kovacin Vaccines Indian Biotech Bharat Biotech, And can extend up to 5 million doses. “It is conditional and subject to national agreements ANMAT approval for vaccine already in the third stage And deregulation of exports in India. ” Axel Kisilloff And Carlos Bianco, Then cabinet chairman of the administration of Buenos Aires.

Dr Krishna, a senior executive at Bharat Biotech, said the company focuses on maintaining all, strict quality and safety standards. WHO accreditation “This will help accelerate equivalent access to the Govt-19 vaccine and make our vaccine accessible globally,” he said.

Worldwide, about 75 percent of all COV-19 vaccines are given in high- and middle-income countries. According to our World Data Program at Oxford University. In low-income countries only 0.6 percent is given.

As of Wednesday, covaxin is not a WHO-approved vaccine, and most recipients in India must give negative results of the RT-PCR test and comply with the isolation or vaccination when traveling abroad. Vaccine approved by the country to go to.

Indian vaccine It is made from the corona virus that is killed to express immunity. “This is an inactivated vaccine, which is injected in 2 doses at least every 14 days. It showed good performance and safety ratios in the third phase studies. As far as I understand, this is not approved by ANMAT, however I hope it will come soon as a result of WHO approval, ”he explained. Infobae Infectious Disease Specialist Latro de Vedia, Former President of the Argentine Society of Infectiology.

“It always adds to having vaccines, the more, the better, so we cover ourselves up against any event, and there are alternatives for different types of patients,” the expert said, pointing out the importance of having a new weapon to defeat. Current epidemic.

“The announcement of this emergency application expands the availability of vaccines, the most effective medical tools to end the infection,” said Dr. Mariankala Simov, On Wednesday, when the company announced its approval for emergency use, the WHO’s Assistant Director – General for Access to Medicines and Health Products.

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