Omicron scare: Bharat Biotech donates 200,000 doses of COVAXIN to Vietnam

In a major development, Vietnam is set to receive 2,00,000 doses of Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine- COVAXIN, informed the Joint Managing Director of Bharat Biotech, Suchitra Ella. This was announced at a function hosted by President of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam H.E. Mr. Vuong Dinh Hue in New Delhi on Thursday. 

"This donation represents a gesture of goodwill to provide access to Bharat Biotech WHO approved, indigenously developed COVAXIN to fight the COVID19 Pandemic across borders. COVAXIN has received EUL (Emergency use listing) in Vietnam," the company said in an official statement. 

While addressing the event, Suchitra Ella stated, "It is an honour for us to serve the Republic of Vietnam in a humble manner and wish COVAXIN contribution will help boost up the country's national vaccination program and recovery from the pandemic. We also like to thank H.E of Vietnam for inviting us to meet and discuss opportunities for collaboration."

“We believe in vaccine equity, global public health, and having access to the vaccine is vital for national health, and I hope everyone in the Republic of Vietnam will take advantage of having access to the widely administered, safe and efficacious COVAXIN,” said  Dr. Krishna Ella, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Biotech.

Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN

Covaxin is developed by Hyderabad-based Indian pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the National Institute of Virology, the Indian Council of Medical Research (NIV-ICMR). Covaxin is administered in a two-dose regimen, 28 days apart. The vaccine was approved for emergency use in India for people aged 18 and above. The World Health Organisation (WHO) too added the vaccine to its list of approved emergency use of COVID-19 vaccines last month. 

In the month of November, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had released the book "Going Viral, Making of Covaxin: The Inside Story," which documents the first-hand experiences of scientists who worked relentlessly to produce India's first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine. The book was written by Professor (Dr) Balram Bhargava, Director General of the Council at the India International Centre, and it is an attempt to take readers through the process of generating India's own vaccine in eight months.