Modi hailed the scientific community and frontline Covid- 19 warriors: Covishield and Covaxin are 110% safe: DCGI

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the scientific community and frontline Covid-19 warriors; Modi in a tweet said that, “It would make every Indian proud that the two vaccines that have been given emergency use approval are made in India”.

                “It would make every Indian proud that the two vaccines that have been given emergency use approval are made in India! This shows the eagerness of our scientific community to fulfil the dream of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, at the root of which is care and compassion,” said Modi in a tweet.

DCGI granted emergency approval two Covid- 19 vaccines Covishield and Covaxin on Sunday. DCGI VG Somani said that the vaccines are 110% safe, the Covishield was found to be 70.42 per cent effective and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin was “safe and provides a robust immune response. He also said we will never approve anything if there is slightest of safety concern. There is no word yet on when the vaccination process will begin.

Some side effects like mild fever, pain and allergy are common for every vaccine,” DCGI said. The approval from the Drug Controller comes days after a Government-appointed experts’ panel gave clearance to the vaccines. Both vaccines have to be administered in two doses and stored at temperatures between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius. The Government will give priority to 1 crore healthcare workers and 2 crore frontline workers when the vaccinations begin, Union Health Minister Dr Harshavardhan said as a countrywide dry run for the vaccination process was conducted on Saturday.

The DCGI said that Pune-based Serum Institute conducted Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials on 1,600 participants in India. Recommendation was made for restricted use and the trials will continue, he added. The vaccine, developed by the Oxford University and pharma giant AstraZeneca is already in use abroad.

Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin is conducting trials in collaboration with the ICMR that its Phase I and Phase II trials were conducted in around 800 people and the results showed that it is “safe and provides a robust immune response”. The Phase III trial in on and 22,500 of the 25,800 participants have been vaccinated.

The Ministry of Health said the Government’s expert committee has reviewed Bharat Biotech’s data on “safety and immunogenicity” and gave permission for “restricted use in emergency situation in public interest”. The idea was to have “more options for vaccinations, especially in case of infection by mutant strains,” the clinical trials will continue.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that “It has been learnt that the vaccines of Bharat Biotech and the Serum Institute have received emergency approval. All preparations are underway for the Delhi Government. First health workers and frontline workers will be given the vaccine, and then those above age 50 will be given the vaccine. Health workers and frontline workers will be vaccinated under First phase”. The vaccines will be given free of cost in Delhi he said earlier.

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