While data from a homologous booster clinical trial has now become available for Covaxin, there is no supporting data from India for Covishield. Yet, Covishield makes for up to 90% of vaccines administered to adults so far in India. On January 5, five days before the roll-out of the ‘protection dose’, scientifically called a third … Continue reading Are there clinical trial data to support a homologous vaccine booster?
Bharat Biotech International
Does Covaxin have WHO’s approval for use in children?
The health ministry's guidelines says Covaxin is the “only vaccine with WHO’s Emergency Use Listing (EUL) for the age-group 15-18”. This is incorrect. WHO has granted Emergency Use Listing for Covaxin for use in adults 18 years and above only. On December 25, 2021 Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that adolescents aged 15-17 years will … Continue reading Does Covaxin have WHO’s approval for use in children?
India widens the vaccine safety net by immunising teenagers above 15 years
Covaxin was found to be safe and immunogenic in teenagers during a phase-2/3 clinical trial; only 175 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years were studied. The data of the trial, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, were posted on a preprint server on December 29. Nearly a year after the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines for … Continue reading India widens the vaccine safety net by immunising teenagers above 15 years
India falters in administering the second dose
Even as the daily fresh cases have been on an overall downward trend since it peaked in early May, the pace of vaccination has slowed down sharply since hitting a peak in September. Only 38% have been fully vaccinated though nearly 80% of all eligible adults have received the first dose. Nearly 43% of people … Continue reading India falters in administering the second dose
Should healthy children be vaccinated on priority?
Scientists in India are divided over the issue of whether young, healthy children need to be vaccinated in the absence of data showing their risk of suffering from severe disease or death. While there are certain advantages of vaccinating as many people as possible, including young, healthy children, will targeting them result in adults, who … Continue reading Should healthy children be vaccinated on priority?
India scripts history with one billion vaccine doses administered
India could have probably reached this grand milestone earlier if precious time was not wasted by asking States to procure vaccines directly from the two manufacturers at a higher cost to vaccinate the 18-44 age group. India scripted history on October 21 when the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered across the country crossed the … Continue reading India scripts history with one billion vaccine doses administered
Amidst shortage, allotting 25% of vaccines produced to private hospitals will aggravate vaccine inequity
In the revised vaccine policy of June 7, private hospitals can continue to procure 25% of vaccines produced by the two manufacturers at a far higher price. This goes against the grain of the universal free vaccination to achieve vaccine equity. Vaccine procurement should ideally be 100% by the government and provided through public and … Continue reading Amidst shortage, allotting 25% of vaccines produced to private hospitals will aggravate vaccine inequity
Two vaccine doses offer 77% protection against hospitalisation, CMC Vellore study finds
A study of health-care workers of CMC Vellore found that two doses of COVID-19 vaccine offer 65% protection against infection, 77% protection against hospitalisation, 92% protection against oxygen care, and 94% protection from ICU admission. Even a singe dose offered significant protection against infection and hospitalisation. Over 93% of individuals received Covishield. A study carried … Continue reading Two vaccine doses offer 77% protection against hospitalisation, CMC Vellore study finds
Covaxin offers protection against beta and delta variants, says study
A small study claims that Covaxin offers protection from both the delta (B.1.617.2) and beta (B.1.351) variants. The neutralisation potential in people vaccinated with Covaxin and found that there was a 3- and 2.7-fold reduction in neutralisation titers against the beta (B.1.351) and delta (B.1.617.2) variants, respectively A small study claims that Covaxin offers protection … Continue reading Covaxin offers protection against beta and delta variants, says study
Study finds Covishield produces more antibodies than Covaxin, but scientists point out serious flaws with the preprint
A head-to-head evaluation of immune responses to spike protein after the first and second dose of Covishield and Covaxin in 515 health-care workers show that both vaccines elicited good immune responses after two doses. Higher seropositivity rate and higher median antibody titer values are seen for Covishield compared with Covaxin. However, the preprint has several … Continue reading Study finds Covishield produces more antibodies than Covaxin, but scientists point out serious flaws with the preprint
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