Prime Minister Narendra Modi was administered Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin vaccine against Covid-19 on March 1, according to a video posted by news agency ANI. The Prime Minister took the vaccine despite apprehensions expressed by some experts about the jab’s efficacy, as it is still in the final stages of clinical trials.
Modi taking the indigenously-developed Covaxin dose is being seen as an attempt to allay fears over the vaccine’s efficacy.
In early January, India’s drug regulator had approved two vaccines — Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and the Oxford/AstraZeneca-developed Covishield, which is being manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) — for emergency use in the country.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), in its statement, did not mention which vaccine had been administered on Modi.
#WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took his first dose of the #COVID19 vaccine at AIIMS Delhi today. He was administered Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN. pic.twitter.com/VqqBYZDTFU— ANI (@ANI) March 1, 2021
Covaxin was given restricted emergency use approval in clinical trial mode by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), without phase-3 efficacy data. The approval was based on safety and immunogenicity data of phase-1 and phase-2 trials, and of the hypothesis that the vaccine works on mutant strains, including the UK variant.
However, when the nationwide vaccination drive started on January 16, many beneficiaries refused to take the dose citing lack of efficacy data.
On February 22, Bharat Biotech said that it would release Covaxin’s phase-3 efficacy data within two weeks.
Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic
Even while launching India’s massive Covid-19 vaccination drive, PM Modi had asked people to be aware of propaganda and rumours about the efficacy of the Covid-19 vaccines approved for public use in India. “Our Indian scientists and experts have guaranteed the safety of the vaccine, so the people of the country must not listen to any kind of propaganda and rumours surrounding the Covid-19 vaccine,” the PM had said.
On the first day of the nationwide vaccination drive, resident doctors at New Delhi’s Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital had written to the Medical Superintendent asking for to be vaccinated with Covishield instead of Covaxin.
In the letter, the Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) said its members were a “bit apprehensive about the lack of complete trial in case of Covaxin”.
The association further claimed that due to this apprehension, resident doctors “might not participate in huge numbers, thus defeating the purpose of vaccination”.
Read | Seniors seeking vaccines have a problem: They can’t use the internet
It was also reported on January 19 that at least three States that administered Covaxin had said that some beneficiaries were reluctant to sign the consent form. This resulted in a strike rate of less than 50 percent in Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Telangana on the first day of the vaccination drive.
The issue was reportedly raised by the States in the coordination meeting chaired by Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan later.
Reuters reported on February 28 that prosecutors from Brazil were also looking for the “immediate purchase suspension” of Covaxin, after the country’s health ministry signed a contract for 20 million doses. Prosecutors at the country’s Federal Audit Court reportedly sought an injunction on the deal, arguing that the manufacturer has not yet published data for phase-3 clinical trials, the report added.
COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker: All you need to know about manufacturing and pricing
As of February 28, India had recorded more than 1.1 crore confirmed Covid-19 cases, including 1.57 lakh deaths. A total of 1.07 crore patients had recovered from the infectious disease. However, more than 1.64 lakh cases were active across the country, comprising 1.48 percent of the total caseload.
While India’s recovery rate is at 96.1 percent, many States are now witnessing a resurgence in the number of cases being reported per day.
A speedy and efficient vaccination drive is being seen as the primary measure to stop the spread of the disease and restore normalcy in the pandemic-battered global economy.
Click here for Moneycontrol’s full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic
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!
