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The acceptance for Covaxin, the Covid-19 vaccine developed entirely by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, appears to be rising perhaps after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took it, on March 1.
Even as an official source confirmed to BusinessLine on Tuesday that the Health Ministry has ordered for 45 lakh doses of Covaxin for delivery by March 16, in another significant development, an independent Subject Expert Committee of the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) is learnt to have recommended ending the “clinical trial mode” condition for the vaccine, based on interim clinical trials results which showed 81 per cent efficacy. A final decision from the DCGI is expected on Thursday, it is learnt. Bharat Biotech has already supplied 55 lakh doses so far.
That Covaxin’s reported efficacy is better than Covishield’s 70 per cent is another favourable factor. Officials handling the vaccination drive in some States told BusinessLine that more people are preferring Covaxin. Assam, Kerala and Punjab are moving to offer more Covaxin shots. Till recently, Covaxin had received a lukewarm response in most States. Twelve States had reported the share of Covaxin in total vaccination at around 1 per cent.
Hesitancy down
A reply given by the Health Ministry in the Lok Sabha last month put the total number of doses of Covaxin administered till February 9 at 3.03 lakh compared to 59.57 lakh doses of Covishield.
Many experts BusinessLine spoke to agreed that there had been doubts about Covaxin till recently. “But after the announcement of 81 per cent efficacy by Bharat Biotech, there has been less hesitation among some well-informed sections about Covaxin, going by the questions that are posed to us at the time of vaccination,” said a senior doctor at Hyderabad’s Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences.
According to a senior official of Andhra Pradesh Health Department, the supply of Covaxin is still limited compared to Covishield. “This is, of course, a government decision but I see people are more confident now,” he added.
In general, there has been greater interest in taking a Covid vaccine. “People are coming forward voluntarily and we have not seen any hesitancy,” said K Hari Prasad, President, Apollo Group of Hospitals.
The total number of Covid-19 vaccinations done so far is 2.52 crore, including 9.22 lakh shots on Wednesday (till 7 pm).
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