WHO chief 'glad' to see Covaxin get WHO approval for emergency use

Geneva [Switzerland], November 3 : Director-General of the World Health Organisation Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday said that he was glad to see Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, get WHO approval for Emergency Use Listing (EUL).
"Glad to see one more vaccine, #Covaxin, being granted @WHO emergency use listing. The more products we have to fight #COVID19, the better, but we must keep up the pressure to deliver #VaccinEquity & prioritize access to vulnerable groups who are still waiting for their 1st dose," Ghebreyesus tweeted.
The WHO granted emergency use listing for India's indigenous vaccine Covaxin, adding to a growing portfolio of vaccines validated by the world health body for prevention of COVID-19.
The WHO said in a tweet that the Technical Advisory Group, convened by World Health Organisation (WHO), has determined that the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine meets WHO standards for protection against COVID-19.
"WHO has granted emergency use listing (EUL) to COVAXIN® (developed by Bharat Biotech), adding to a growing portfolio of vaccines validated by WHO for the prevention of #COVID19," WHO said in a tweet.
"The Technical Advisory Group, convened by WHO and made up of regulatory experts from around the world, has determined that the Covaxin vaccine meets WHO standards for protection against #COVID19, that the benefit of the vaccine far outweighs risks and the vaccine can be used," it added.
The global health body said that the Covaxin vaccine was also reviewed by WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), and recommended the use of this vaccine in two doses, with a dose interval of four weeks, in all age groups 18 and above.
"Available data on vaccination of pregnant women with the Covaxin vaccine are insufficient to assess vaccine safety or efficacy in pregnancy; studies in pregnant women are planned, including a pregnancy sub-study and a pregnancy registry," WHO said.