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Updated January 3rd, 2021 at 16:11 IST

Union Min Hardeep Singh Puri slams Congress cynics' doubts over DCGI nod to COVAXIN

Slamming the Congress' politicisation over Bharat Biotech - ICMR's 'COVAXIN' vaccine, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri termed it cynical

Hardeep Puri
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Slamming the Congress' politicisation over Bharat Biotech - ICMR's 'COVAXIN' vaccine, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday pointed that some Congress leaders had questioned the 'surgical strikes' and were now also questioning the DCGI nod to the two vaccines. Congress leaders like - Shashi Tharoor and Jairam Ramesh have questioned why COVAXIN has been approved while Phase-3 trials are underway, modifying 'internationally accepted protocols'. The DCGI has allowed AstraZeneca - SII's 'COVISHIELD' and Bharat Biotech - ICMR's 'COVAXIN' vaccines for restricted use in an emergency situation.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Covishield, Covaxin get DCGI nod; PM Modi hails decision

Puri: 'In-house cynics true to form'

In reply to Puri, Jairam Ramesh - who heads the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science & Technology - retaliated:

3 crore COVID front-liners to get free vaccine first; planning for 27 cr underway: Centre

Vaccine politics

After Subject Expert Committee (SEC)'s nod to both vaccines on Saturday, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, said that 'I will not get vaccinated - that too on BJP's vaccine (COVID-19), as I don't trust it, at a press conference in Lucknow.  He also added that his government comes to power, the vaccine will we be provided free - 'not BJP's vaccine'.  His statement drew severe flak from BJP, which termed it an 'insult to scientists', while other parties reiterated their faith in the vaccines.

Similarly, after the DCGI's nod to COVAXIN and COVISHIELD, Ramesh said that Phase 3 trials protocol have been modified for the Bharat Biotech vaccine candidate, urging Health Minister Harshvardhan to clarify on the same. Meanwhile, Tharoor stated that the DCGI 'approval was premature and could be dangerous', opining that its use should be avoided till full trials are over. Their doubts over COVAXIN has been slammed by several politicians included ex-Congress member Sanjay Jha who said he will 'willing to publicly take Covaxin'.

Congress seeks Centre's clarification on SEC recommending Bharat Biotech's Covaxin

DCGI gives nod to COVISHIELD & COVAXIN

On Sunday, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) VG Somani announced that the vaccines of Serum Institue of India (Covishield) and Bharat Biotech (Covaxin) have been granted permission for restricted use in an emergency situation. Covishield - a Recombinant Chimpanzee Adenovirus vector vaccine - has an efficacy of 70.42%, with interim safety and immunogenicity data of Phase-II/III trials submitted to the SEC. Covaxin - a Whole Virion Inactivated Corona Virus Vaccine - 22,500 participants vaccinated in Phase-III trials and was found to be safe as per the data available till date. Meanwhile, Zydus-Cadilla's nCov-Vaccine using DNA platform technology has been allowed to conduct Phase-III clinical trial in 26000 Indian participants. The government has stated that the first phase of the vaccination drive will be free including one crore healthcare workers and two crore frontline workers, aiming to vaccinate 27 crore priority beneficiaries until July.

India Approves SII's Covishield & Bharat Biotech's Covaxin COVID Vaccines: DCGI statement

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Published January 3rd, 2021 at 16:11 IST

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