WHO to give approval to Covaxin this month, say top health experts

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The decision on Bharat Biotech’s Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin Emergency Use Listing (EUL) by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is expected in October, informed the top health experts in the country on Saturday.

Speaking to ANI, the experts said that the approval of the vaccine shouldn’t be delayed after reviewing the data.

“Globally, the world is in need of vaccines and we have to ensure that this is a global war, and many countries are still not getting vaccinated. So we have to ensure that our vaccines should get the approval timely,” said Dr Naveet Wig, Chairperson of the COVID Task Force for AIIMS, Delhi.

“WHO will give the approval soon as it is a ‘killed vaccine’ which has been approved earlier also by other names from other countries,” he added.

Earlier on Friday, Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS, Delhi said, “We are hopeful that now with all the data in and studies having been done it should happen soon rather than happening late.”

“The delay of Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) will affect Indians especially students and who has international travel plans. The EUA is important because, without EUA, Covaxin will not be considered and accepted around the world by most of the countries,” he added.

WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Expert on Immunization (SAGE) will be conducting a meeting on October 5 regarding EUL to Covaxin.