India begins the second phase of the vaccination drive on March 1 in which everyone above 60 years of age and those over 45 years with comorbidities will be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
The first phase of the immunisation drive against COVID-19 had begun on January 16 with healthcare workers of India's COVID-19 battle getting their first jabs. It gradually extended to frontline workers on February 2.
At the beginning of 2021, India approved two vaccines—Covaxin developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and Covishield from the Oxford-AstraZeneca stable being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) —for emergency use in the country.
The two vaccines have been distributed to different states and union territories. At present, beneficiaries have not been given the option to choose the vaccine they will be administered.
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Here is a comparison between the two COVID-19 vaccines – Covishield and Covaxin - approved in India:
Type of vaccine
Covishield is based on the viral vector platform. A chimpanzee adenovirus called ChAdOx1 is the vector that has been modified to carry the coronavirus spike protein into human cells. The adenovirus vector platform for vaccines gained traction during the battle to stop Ebola.
Covaxin is based on an inactivated whole SARS-CoV-2 virion, an old platform that is also used to make polio vaccines. A virus’s disease-producing capacity is inactivated under this method.
Number of doses
Both Covishield and Covaxin have to be administered in two doses. Bharat Biotech’s vaccine has been given approval for restricted use in emergency situations in the public interest as an abundant precaution, in clinical trial mode, which means consent has to be taken from the vaccine recipient. The recipients will be monitored after receiving Covaxin shots.
Dose interval
The Union Health Ministry has ordered the administration of the second dose of COVID-19 vaccination to those who have completed 28 days after receiving the first dose.
Delivery route
Both Covishield and Covaxin are intramuscular injections.
The age group of beneficiaries
SII’s vaccine is approved for people aged 18 years and above, while Bharat Biotech’s vaccine has been approved for those 12 years and above. There is no clarity on whether children and pregnant women can be given the vaccines.
Efficacy
SII’s vaccine at two full doses has been shown to have 62 percent efficacy in phase-3 clinical trials. Two full doses will be administered in India.
Bharat Biotech is yet to publish efficacy data from its phase-3 trials.
Storage
Covishield and Covaxin vaccines can be stored at 2–8 degrees Centigrade (household refrigerator temperature). Therefore, they found to be most suited for India as most vaccines commonly used in the country are kept at this temperature range. This makes transport and local storage of both vaccines safe and easy for all parts of the country.
Manufacturing
Both Covishield and Covaxin are ‘Made in India’ vaccines. SII has an exclusive license from AstraZeneca-Oxford University to manufacture and distribute the vaccine in India and other emerging markets.
So far, more than 1.43 crore people have received the vaccine against coronavirus infection in the country.
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