Covaxin review underway, recommendation likely within 24 hours: WHO

WHO’s approval for Covaxin has been long awaited ever since it was launched in March. As a result of the absence of the WHO’s approval, millions of Indians who have been inoculated with Covaxin, have not been able to undertake hassle-free travel to foreign countries.

Gaon Connection
| Updated: October 26th, 2021

Without a WHO nod, the two-dose Covaxin is unlikely to be accepted as a valid vaccine globally.

A spokesperson of the World Health Organization (WHO) informed the press today that India’s COVID19 vaccine Covaxin is being reviewed by the experts and a decision on its emergency use listing is likely to be announced in the next 24 hours.

Speaking to journalists at a United Nations press briefing, Margaret Harris was quoted, “If all is in place and all goes well and if the committee is satisfied, we would expect a recommendation within the next 24 hours or so.”

Covaxin is India’s indigenous COVID19 vaccine which has been developed by Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). 

Read More : Explained: For how long do the vaccines offer protection against COVID19?

Bharat Biotech had submitted the Expression of Interest (EOI) for an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) back in April 19 but was asked to furnish more data by WHO before it could be given a go-ahead. WHO had stated that it must evaluate the vaccine thoroughly to ensure it is “safe and effective.”

Without a WHO nod, the two-dose Covaxin is unlikely to be accepted as a valid vaccine globally.

According to news report, last Friday, a top WHO official had said that the process of thoroughly evaluating a vaccine for use and recommending it sometimes takes a long time but it has to be ensured that the correct advice is presented to the world. 

Read More : Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin gets emergency use approval for vaccinating kids against COVID19

“The World Health Organisation is very clear that we want all countries to recognise vaccines that have been given an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) by the WHO advisory process. But it’s also very important that WHO, when it makes a recommendation like that, is making that globally,” WHO Health Emergencies Programme Executive Director Dr Mike Ryan was quoted as saying.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had, reportedly, met Covaxin manufacturers on Saturday and discussed various issues including furthering the vaccine research.