WHO EUL for Covaxin will pave way for worldwide acceptance, lift travel curbs

World health Organisation acceptance for Covaxine would be a coveted milestone for India, according to Dr VK Paul, chairman of India's National Task Force on Covid19. The top official in an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat Senior Correspondent Gautam Debroy said that it will also enable the Indian recipients of the vaccine to travel abroad with ease

New Delhi: A day after World Health Organisation announced that a decision on the emergency use listing of Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech's Covaxin will be finalised next week, Dr VK Paul, chairman of India's National Task Force on Covid19, told ETV Bharat that it is indeed a great development.

"WHO's Emergency Use Listing (EUL) for Covaxin will pave way for its wider acceptance and reach worldwide," said Dr Paul in an exclusive interview to ETV Bharat in New Delhi.

He said that it will also enable the Indian recipients of the vaccine to travel abroad with ease."....above all, it would be a coveted milestone for Indian vaccine research and development enterprise to achieve and make history," Dr Paul added.

The WHO on Tuesday has said that Covaxin manufacturer has been submitting data to WHO on a rolling basis and submitted additional information at WHO's request on September 27. "WHO experts are currently reviewing this info and if it address all questions raised, WHO assessment will be finalized next week," the global health agency said.

The development assumes much more significance for crores of Indians who face issues while visiting abroad following the fact that the vaccine has not yet been approved in many countries. If someone is vaccinated with Covaxin in India, he or she need to take the vaccine of the particular visiting country. Besides, many countries are reluctant to allow entry to people who have taken Covaxin jabs.

As of now, Covaxin is approved by nine foreign counties worldwide Guyana, Iran, Mauritius, Mexico, Nepal, Paraguay, Philippines and Zimbabwe. On the other hand, Serum Institute of India (SII) and AstraZeneca Oxford developed Covishield has been reportedly approved by 130 countries worldwide.

However, WHO's approval for Covaxin will mean that other countries in need of Covid19 vaccination can also import the vaccine from India. Brazil has earlier suspended a contract to procure the vaccine.

No doubts on Covaxine efficacy

Bharat Biotech's Covaxin developed jointly with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has good efficacy too. The company said in a statement that Covaxin is developed using Whole-Virion Inactivated Vero Cell derived platform technology.

"Inactivated vaccines do not replicate and unlikely to revert and cause pathological effects. They contain dead virus, incapable of infecting people but still able to instruct the immune system to mount a defensive reaction against an infection," Bharat Biotech said.

Covaxin demonstrated 77.8 percent vaccine efficacy against symptomatic Covid19 disease. The efficacy data also demonstrates 63.6 percent protection against asymptomatic Covid19. Taking on the issue, Dr Giridhar Gyani, director general of Association of Healthcare Providers, told this correspondent that the vaccine (Covaxin) which was already approved by many countries will now get the scope for a wider acceptance.

"Covaxin is well recognised. It's only due to some technicalities that WHO has earlier not approved it. I believe the global health agency will definitely approve it next week," said Dr Gyani.

Gyani also echoed the same that many foreign countries now will accept the Indian indigenous vaccine.