After release of Covaxin's phase 3 efficacy data, NTAGI chief says it will help vaccine get WHO recognition

By Shalini Bhardwaj
New Delhi [India], : Hours after Bharat Biotech announced that its vaccine Covaxin's efficacy against COVID-19 is 77.8 per cent, National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) Chief Dr NK Arora said that these results will help the vaccine get recognition from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
In an interview with ANI, Dr Arora said, "It is good that these results have finally been published and this will help to get Covaxin the WHO emergency use listing. People who have been administered Covaxin in India will be able to travel without restrictions."
Earlier, in the day, the Covaxin manufacturers concluded a final analysis for its efficacy from phase-3 clinical trial claiming it to be 77.8 per cent effective against COVID-19.
It also added that Covaxin gives 65.2 per cent protection against the SARS-CoV-2, B.1.617.2 Delta variant.
"Covaxin is effective against delta variant which is a big relief. We feel very comfortable that both the vaccines which are currently in use in Indian under Covid Immunisation Programme are effective and safe," the NTAGI chief said.
Regarding Zydus Cadila's COVID-19 vaccine Zydus Cov-D, Dr Arora said, "It should not take too long for Emergency Use Authorisation. It is just a matter of a couple of weeks."
The Ahmedabad-based pharmaceutical firm has requested emergency use approval for ZyCoV-D, a three-dose Covid shot which is the world's first Plasmid DNA vaccine.
The company is planning to manufacture 10-12 crore doses annually and 5 crore by the month of December.