Covaxin Will Prove to be Better Against New strain of Coronavirus, Claims ICMR Chief

Earlier on Sunday, DCGI VG Somani had rubbished rumours associated with vaccines, saying that they won’t approve anything if there’s slightest of safety concern.

New Delhi: Dispelling rumours surrounding the Serum Institute of India’s ‘Covishield’ and Bharat Biotech’s ‘Covaxin’, the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) claimed that both the vaccines are safer than others conducting trials. The remarks come after some Opposition leaders raised serious concerns over the grant of approval to Covaxin, saying it is ‘premature’ and can prove dangerous.

Speaking exclusively to India Today, ICMR chief Balram Bhargava asserted that the emergency approval to the Covaxin was given after due consideration. Furthermore, he assured that the indigenous vaccine against the novel coronavirus will prove to be better against the new strain of COVID that was first detected in the United Kingdom.

Earlier on Sunday, DCGI VG Somani had rubbished rumours associated with vaccines, saying that they won’t approve anything if there’s slightest of safety concern. “Vaccines are 110 per cent safe. Some side effects like mild fever, pain and allergy are common for every vaccine. It (rumours of impotency) is absolute nonsense,” news agency ANI quoted Somani as saying.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan also assured Bharat Biotech’s vaccine is more likely to work against newer variants of coronavirus, including the UK variant, and asked politicians not to “discredit” the approval protocol.

Go-Ahead to 2 Vaccines: 

Yesterday, India’s drugs regulator 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.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted approval on the basis of recommendations by a COVID-19 Subject Expert Committee (SEC) of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

“After adequate examination, CDSCO has decided to accept the recommendations of the Expert Committee and, accordingly, vaccines of M/s Serum and Bharat Biotech are being approved for restricted use in emergency situations,” DCGI V G Somani told reporters.