On the need for vaccinating kids in the 5-11 age bracket, he said, "My point is we can't put a price tag on the life of a person. Also if an additional dose of vaccine can prevent a 1,000 hospitalisation, so let's do that as was evident from the third wave."
India's drug regulator had approved Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28 and in the 12-17 age group, subject to certain conditions, on March 9.
A CDSCO panel has also recommended restricted emergency use of anti-Covid pill Molnupiravir in India.
The DCGI office had granted SII permission to manufacture and stock Covovax on May 17. Based on the DCGI's approval, till now, the Pune-based firm has manufactured and stockpiled vaccine doses.
The government, earlier in October, had permitted the SII to export 10 lakh Covishield doses each to Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh under the 'Vaccine Maitri' program.
If the DCGI grants regular marketing authorisation, Covishield will be the second vaccine in the world to receive such approval. Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine has received full US FDA approval for use in individuals 16 years of age and older.
Biocon Biologics, a subsidiary of Biocon, on Thursday said it will offer around 15 per cent stake to Serum Institute Life Sciences at a post-money valuation of about USD 4.9 billion. Serum Institute Life Sciences (SILS) is a subsidiary of Serum Institute of India (SII).
The daily COVID-19 vaccinations crossed the 1 crore mark on Tuesday for the second time in five days, taking the total number of doses administered in the country to over 65 crore.
The trial would be held across 10 sites and would cover 920 children -- 460 each in the age groups of 12-17 and 2-11 -- according to official sources.
If cocktail vaccines are administered and if the result is not good, then SII may say that another vaccine was not good, vice versa, the other company might say that since you mixed Serum's vaccine, it did not give desired results, Poonawalla said.
The shortage is going to end soon because the United States has purchased Pfizer’s vaccine which will start to come online in August, said USAID Administrator Samantha Power.
The RDIF and Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine producer, will start production of Sputnik V vaccine in September.
A decline in average daily vaccination against the coronavirus has been seen since June 21, when the new phase of universalisation of COVID-19 vaccination commenced, government data showed.
The Pune mayor on Sunday said that the Covishield will not be available at any vaccination centre under the jurisdiction of Pune Municipal Corporation today.
More than 1.45 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with states and union territories and over 19,10,650 jabs are in the pipeline.
Serum Institute of India (SII) has informed the government that it will be able to manufacture and supply nine to 10 crore doses of Covishield in June, official sources said on Sunday amid complaint by states about the shortage of anti-coronavirus vaccine jabs.
There are many parts of the world where one shot has been dispensed to health workers or frontline workers and the second shot has not been forthcoming, USAID told lawmakers on Thursday.
Member (Health) in NiTi Aayog, Dr Vinod K Paul on Thursday addressed seven myths on India's Covid-19 vaccination program. He said these myths are arising due to distorted statements, half-truths, and blatant lies. India is in talk with Pfizer and Moderna for earliest import of vaccine.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that once the devastating COVID-19 outbreak in India recedes, the Serum Institute of India will need to “get back on track and catch up” on its delivery commitments to COVAX, the global initiative to supply coronavirus vaccines to nations around the world.
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Monday urged Serum Institute of India Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla to give priority to the state in providing its anti-coronavirus vaccine as the government was ready to purchase doses from the Pune-based company.
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