New Delhi. There will be no shortage of anti-corona vaccine in the country now. The government has opened the doors for all foreign corona vaccines amid growing cases of corona infection. Foreign vaccines have also been exempted from the condition of Breeze trial before use. After this decision of the government, companies like American company Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson will be able to export developed vaccines abroad in India and can also produce them here in collaboration with Indian companies.
Dr. VK Paul, member of NITI Aayog and chairman of the National Expert Group (NAG) on Vaccine, made it clear that the exemption in Breeze Trial has been given only in view of the prevailing situation of corona infection. Even after this, there will be no shortage in ensuring the effect and quality of the vaccine. According to him, any vaccine developed and manufactured abroad will be allowed to use emergency in India only if it has been allowed to use emergency from one of the American, British, European and Japanese regulators. Apart from these, the vaccine, which will be allowed to use emergency from the World Health Organization, can also be used in India.
Dr. Paul said that after getting the new exemption, any company including Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson can export their vaccine made in India to India and it will start to be used immediately in vaccination. But to test their side effects, 100 people who initially took the vaccine will be monitored continuously for a week.
Talk to Dr. Reddy soon
According to Health Ministry officials, the Russian vaccine Sputnik-V will be available to the general public in late April or early May. Negotiations will soon begin between the Ministry of Health and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories and Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDEF) regarding its price and supply.
The screw can be stuck on the price and supply
There may be a problem with the price and supply of Sputnik-V. The price of Sputnik-V is around Rs 700 per dose, while the Government of India is buying Kovaxin and Kovishield at the rate of Rs 150 per dose. Initially supplied from abroad it may cost more, RDEF has already tied up with three local companies to manufacture 85 crore doses annually in India. It is believed that a massive supply of Sputnik-V made in India will start from June and its price will also come down.
Sputnik-V is different from Kovishield-Kovaxin
According to the Ministry of Health, the Sputnik-V vaccine will also be slightly different than the Kovishield and Kovacine. Two doses of the same vaccine are given between four to eight weeks in Kovishield and Kovaccin. At the same time, both doses of Sputnik-V have different vaccines and they have to be taken within three weeks i.e. 21 days. The vaccines in the first and second doses are also fixed and cannot be interchanged.
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