English
Specials
    Go Ad-Free
    My Alerts
    Moneycontrol
    Moneycontrol PRO
    HomeNewsIndiaCOVID-19 vaccination: Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla gets Covishield shot to allay safety concerns

    COVID-19 vaccination: Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla gets Covishield shot to allay safety concerns

    The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had earlier this month approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute.

    Moneycontrol News
    January 16, 2021 / 13:52 IST
    Adar Poonawalla (File Image: Twitter)

    Adar Poonawalla (File Image: Twitter)


    Serum Institute of India, which is developing the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, CEO Adar Poonawalla got vaccinated on January 16, the first day of nationwide vaccination drive.

    Poonawalla shared a video of getting jabbed on his Twitter handle. He said, "I wish India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi great success in launching the world’s largest COVID vaccination roll out."

    Track this blog for all the latest updates on coronavirus pandemic

    It brings me great pride that Covishield is part of this historic effort and to endorse its safety and efficacy, I join our health workers in taking the vaccine myself, Poonawalla added.

    COVID-19 Vaccine

    Frequently Asked Questions

    View more
    How does a vaccine work?

    A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

    How many types of vaccines are there?

    There are broadly four types of vaccine — one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine.

    What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind?

    Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.

    View more
    Show

    Related stories

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched India's COVID-19 vaccination drive and asserted that the made-in-India vaccines being rolled out will ensure a "decisive victory" for the country over the coronavirus pandemic.

    Read | Shot in the arm: Here are the first people to get COVID-19 vaccine across states

    Addressing the nation ahead of the launch, Modi reminded people that two doses of vaccine are very important and asked them to maintain wearing masks and social distancing even after receiving the jabs. "'Dawai bhi, kadai bhi," he said.

    The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had earlier this month approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive.

    Read: COVID-19 vaccination drive | How to register, who will get the shots first and other queries answered

    This will be the world's largest vaccination programme covering the entire length and breadth of the country.

    According to the government, the shots will be offered first to an estimated one crore healthcare workers, and around two crore frontline workers, and then to persons above 50 years of age, followed by persons younger than 50 years of age with associated comorbidities.

    Cost of vaccination of healthcare and frontline workers will be borne by the central government.

    Click here for Moneycontrol's full coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak

    Moneycontrol News
    first published: Jan 16, 2021 01:52 pm

    Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!

    Subscribe to Tech Newsletters

    • On Saturdays

      Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.

    • Daily-Weekdays

      Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.

    Advisory Alert: It has come to our attention that certain individuals are representing themselves as affiliates of Moneycontrol and soliciting funds on the false promise of assured returns on their investments. We wish to reiterate that Moneycontrol does not solicit funds from investors and neither does it promise any assured returns. In case you are approached by anyone making such claims, please write to us at grievanceofficer@nw18.com or call on 02268882347