Tag: Coronavirus vaccine

Explained: Are COVID-19 vaccines effective against Delta and Delta plus variants?

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Fears are mounting that the Delta Plus variant could trigger a possible third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The Delta variant, a more infectious and easily transmissible variant than the wild form of SARS CoV-2, is already a “variant of concern”, as designated by the World Health Organisation. First identified in India, the Delta variant massively contributed to the explosive second wave of the pandemic here. It is now causing a surge in COVID-19 cases in the UK. The US has called the Delta variant the greatest threat to its effort to eradicate COVID-19 in its borders.

And now the Delta plus variant, a mutation of the Delta variant, is being seen as another dangerous variant. About 200 cases of Delta plus have been identified across the world, with over 40 in India alone.

Countries are ramping up their vaccination coverage and vaccine makers are producing doses on a war footing. But how effective are these vaccines in fighting the newer mutations?

Covishield and Covaxin

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has stressed that both Covishield and Covaxin are effective against the Delta Plus variant. “Both the vaccines being administered in India, Covishield and Covaxin, (Sputnik joined later) are effective against Delta. But to what extent and what is the proportion of antibodies produced by these vaccines will be shared soon,” Bhushan had said.

However, some global experts are predicting that the effectiveness of the Covishield vaccine is only 60 percent at best against the Delta variant. The Delta Plus variant contains a key mutation that allows it to evade immune responses, which means the effectiveness of vaccines against the new variant may be lower.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca Covishield is produced in India by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), whereas Covaxin has been developed by Hyderabad’s Bharat Biotech in conjunction with Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR).

Sputnik V

Sputnik V is the third vaccine available in India. The viral two-vector vaccine developed by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and the Gamaleya Research Insitute is effective against all current variants, the makers of the vaccine have confirmed.

“Antibodies developed after vaccination with Sputnik V protect from all variants of COVID known today, starting from the UK variant to the so-called Delta variant, first detected in India,” said Alexander Gintsburg, Director of the Gamaleya Institute.

“Antibodies developed after vaccination with #SputnikV protect from all variants of COVID known today, starting from the UK variant to the so-called Delta variant, first detected in India” – Head of the Gamaleya Center academician Alexander Gintsburg. pic.twitter.com/upaornSbEG

— Sputnik V (@sputnikvaccine) June 22, 2021

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna

Pfizer’s and Moderna’s mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine have been crucial in the decline of COVID-19 cases in the US. But the question of their effectiveness against the Delta Plus variant remains hazy.

Dr Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, has said, “The mRNA vaccine seems to be highly effective, two doses of that vaccine against this variant. The viral vector vaccines from (Johnson & Johnson) and AstraZeneca also appear to be effective, about 60 percent effective. The mRNA vaccines are about 88 percent effective. So we have the tools to control this and defeat it. We just need to use those tools.”

However, the real-world effectiveness against the Delta Plus variant is expected to be lower.

India is in talks with both the pharma giants for their double-dose vaccines. While Moderna’s product won’t be available in the country anytime soon, Pfizer said on Tuesday that it was in the final stages of an agreement with India to supply vaccine doses.

Why are there concerns about vaccine efficacies?

The questions regarding the effectiveness of the current generation of vaccines have arisen due to a few key mutations. The AY.1 lineage, or the Delta Plus variant, has a mutation, K417N. The mutation on the spike protein of the virus allows for easier receptor binding.

The K417N mutation was first seen in the Beta variant (B.1.351) and then the Gamma variant (P.1), first identified in South Africa and Brazil respectively. The mutation allowed the virus to evade antibodies in the human body, effectively neutralising the immune response. The virus was able to evade antibodies from previous infections as well as those generated from vaccines.

This is on top of all the mutations of the predecessor variant Delta, which was significantly more transmissible and infectious than the other variants. As more infections mean chances of further mutations, it is for this reason that many health experts have been warning of a potential early third wave due to the Delta Plus variant.

Vaccines are effective

While following COVID-19 protocol and appropriate behaviour is essential in breaking any chains of transmission, it must be understood that vaccines are not completely ineffective.

Vaccines still offer a very high level of protection against hospitalisation and the severity of the disease, even against the Delta variant. While the effective rates are expected to be lower for the Delta plus variant, the amount of protection offered by vaccines against symptomatic infections still remains high.

US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci said that the vaccines authorized in the US, including the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, are effective against the new variant of COVID-19.

A recent study from Public Health England, part of the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care, revealed that protection from requiring hospital treatment for COVID-19 was 71 percent after one dose and at 92 percent after two doses of the Covishield vaccine. The mRNA-based Pfizer vaccine was 94 percent effective in preventing hospitalization after the first dose and 96 percent after completing the inoculation program.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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COVID-19 booster shot: Science still evolving, says WHO scientist

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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As the coronavirus continues to mutate, the efficacy of vaccines against the newer variants and the longevity of antibodies remain a concern. Nations around the world are preparing to acquire more COVID-19 doses as “booster shots” to combat any sudden surges during autumn and winter, when temperatures begin to fall and people celebrate festivals.

The UK was one of the first countries to announce an official policy for supplementary vaccinations against COVID-19. The country’s re-opening has been severely hampered by the rapid spread of the Delta variant, which was first identified in India.

Health experts, however, argue that such intervention might not be required.

“We do not have the information that’s necessary to make the recommendation on whether or not a booster will be needed,” said Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, World Health Organization (WHO). The top science officer at the global health organisation said “science is still evolving” on the need for COVID-19 boosters.

Swaminathan added that the WHO’s policy will be determined by real-world data from the booster vaccination programmes that will be conducted by various countries around the world.

One of the main causes for concern in the ongoing fight against the global pandemic is the emergence of more transmissible variants and further mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Vaccine makers have already started working on tweaking their vaccine formulations to take on the emerging variants, but many have said such developments will always be lagging behind real-time viral mutations.

Others have cautioned that third shots would most likely be needed to shore up the immune response, especially for people who are more susceptible to the virus.

Also, not every vaccine will be particularly effective for a third dose, depending on its biological mechanisms. While trials on mixing and matching vaccines are currently on, conclusive answers have not yet arrived.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Govt committed to prevent misuse of COVID-19 vaccines data on eVIN platform

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The central government said on June 10 that it is committed to preventing the misuse of data on eVIN, a platform used by the government for inventory management of vaccines and tracking storage temperature data about the jabs under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that it asked states and Union Territories to seek permission from the Centre before sharing eVIN data to prevent any commercial misuse, according to a statement.

The Centre’s clarification came after several media organisations highlighted the content of a letter from the Union Health Ministry to states and UTs in this regard. The letter stated that the data must ‘not be shared with any other organisation, partner agency, media agency, online and offline public forums’.

The ministry clarified that its previous order was “solely to prevent any misuse of this data by various agencies for commercial purposes.”

“The crucial information related to specific vaccine usage trends for multiple vaccines used in Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), and temperature-related data in respect to each such vaccine can be used to manipulate the market as well as associated research with respect to various vaccines and cold chain equipment,” the ministry said.

The Health Ministry has been using the eVIN electronic platform for all vaccines used under UIP for more than six years now, the statement added.

The government is “committed to transparency in the COVID-19 vaccination programme and that is the reason it came up with a real-time IT-based tracking of vaccine logistics”, it said.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine may cost Rs 730 a dose in India: Report

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Pfizer mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 may be available in India for as little as Rs 730, according to reports. The sub-$10 price would be the cheapest price for the vaccine anywhere around the world.

“It is a single-digit price per dose. This is a not-for-profit price for the government’s immunisation programme,” Business Standard reported citing sources.

At a price below or at $10, the vaccine would be available in India at nearly half the cost of what it is being sold for in other countries. Currently, the vaccine is priced at $19.5 in the US and at $21 in the UK. Price negotiations are still ongoing in the EU where the vaccine was earlier available for $18.9 a dose but may soon cost $23.2.

“Pfizer has offered to make the required doses of our COVID-19 vaccine available at a not-for-profit price for India, as for all low and lower-middle-income countries, once we have the necessary regulatory clearance,” a Pfizer spokesperson said.

India may soon be able to receive 50 million (5 crore) doses of the vaccine, according to reports. Pfizer is in talks with the Centre but the pharma company’s demand to be granted indemnity continues to be a roadblock.

“Currently, as our discussions with the government of India are ongoing and confidential, we cannot provide further details,” the spokesperson added.

The three other COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the market are Russia’s Sputnik V, Covishield from Oxford-AstraZeneca and produced by the Serum Institute of India, and Covaxin from Bharat Biotech.

Sputnik V is currently priced at Rs 995 for the private market, while Covaxin costs Rs 12,00 and Covishield Rs. 600.

The prices for the vaccines for the central government were capped at Rs. 150, but sources suggest that those prices will be renegotiated.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Pfizer vaccine approved for 12-15 years age group by UK regulator

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has got UK medicines regulator’s nod for children aged between 12 to 15 years.

The development comes after a “rigorous review” of safety and effectiveness in that age group, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said. The benefits of having the COVID-19 jab outweighed the risks, they added.

“We have in place a comprehensive safety surveillance strategy for monitoring the safety of all UK-approved COVID-19 vaccines and this surveillance will include the 12- to 15-year age group,” Dr June Raine, MHRA chief executive said.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) will now advise whether this age group will be vaccinated as part of the deployment programme, Raine added.

“We have been very careful to take into consideration the younger age group and the benefits of this population being vaccinated against any potential risk of side effects,” Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, chairman of the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) said.

In a statement released by the MHRA, Professor Pirmohamed said that over 2000 children aged in the 12 to15 years age group were studied as part of the randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trials. “There were no cases of COVID-19 from 7 days after the second dose in the vaccinated group, compared with 16 cases in the placebo group,” he added.

Data on neutralising antibodies showed the vaccine is working at the same level as seen in adults aged 16-25 years, which the professor said means that the results are extremely positive.

The Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is already approved for use in adults and adolescents aged 16 years and above. During the trials, no new side effects were identified and the safety data in children was comparable with that seen in young adults. “As in young adults, the majority of adverse events were mild to moderate and relating to reactogenicity, such as a sore arm or tiredness,” MHRA said.

Earlier on May 28, the European Commission had authorised Pfizer and partner BioNTech SE’s COVID-19 vaccine for use in children in the same age group after similar clearances in the United States and Canada.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Sputnik V to supply COVID-19 vaccine to Delhi, quantity yet to be decided: Arvind Kejriwal

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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As Delhi grapples with a shortage of coronavirus vaccines, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the makers of Sputnik V will supply anti-Covid jabs to the city but the quantity is yet to be decided.

He also said there were around 620 cases of black fungus or mucormycosis in Delhi, but Amphotericin-B injections used in its treatment are in short supply.

“Talks with the makers of Sputnik V are on. They will give us vaccines, but the quantity is yet to be decided. Our officials and the representatives of the manufacturers met on Tuesday, too,” the CM told reporters at the launch of Delhi’s first drive-through vaccination centre at Vegas Mall in Dwarka.

The Centre has asked states to procure vaccines from the international market, but no state government has been able to purchase even “one additional vaccine” so far, he said.

“All state governments have tried everything, they have (floated) global tenders and talked to all vaccine-manufacturers. All firms have declined to talk to us,” he said. The Centre needs to demonstrate a sense of urgency and run the vaccination drive on a war-footing, he added. He said it is the Central government’s responsibility to procure vaccines.

“Today, we are at war against COVID-19, wherein the Centre and states have their share of responsibilities. The Centre cannot shirk its responsibility and ask states to fend for themselves. It is wrong,” he said.

“It is something like Pakistan declaring a war on India and then they ask if Delhi has manufactured a nuclear bomb and Uttar Pradesh bought a tank…It is the Central government’s responsibility to procure and supply vaccines. Delhi can be held accountable if they (the Centre) give us vaccines and we do not open up centres,” a visibly angry Kejriwal said.

Asked if the Delhi government is going to lift the lockdown, he said, “A lockdown cannot be extended indefinitely. It has hit economic activity and businesses, we will decide how to go about reopening.”

While extending the ongoing lockdown till May 31, Kejriwal had on Saturday said his government will start the unlock process from next week if Covid cases keep declining.

The CM also said that anti-Covid shots manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer are both suitable for children and the Central government should procure these vaccines in a large number to vaccinate them. The CM also said that a government-run drive-through vaccination centre is likely to be launched at Chhatrasal on Saturday.

“Many more drive-through vaccination centres will be opened up soon, but the shortage of vaccines is a major issue. The inoculation drive has slowed down. Many vaccination centres have been shut not just in Delhi, but the entire country,” he said.

India was among the first countries to manufacture a vaccine for COVID-19, but “we are six months behind others because we did not make a plan in time for mass vaccination, distribution and to ramp up production”, he said. “Forget what has happened, but there is no sense of urgency even now. All vaccines available in the international market can still be given approval for use in India within 24 hours,” the chief minister added.

The drive-through vaccination centre at Vegas Mall is an initiative by the Delhi government and Southwest Delhi District Magistrate, a hospital spokesperson said. Akash Healthcare Super Specialty Hospital has procured 30,000 Covishield doses for inoculation of the 18-44 age group at the centre, an official said.

“We will go slow at the starting to avoid rush on the road and administer 40 to 50 doses for the initial few days,” DM Naveen Aggarwal said. The number of doses administered per day will be increased gradually to around 300 per day, he said.

Kejriwal had earlier said his government has written to Dr Reddy’s Laboratories for the supply of around 67 lakh doses of Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories launched Sputnik V in India on May 14.

Delhi had recorded 156 Covid fatalities on Tuesday, the lowest since April 16, while 1,568 new cases were reported as the positive rate dipped to nearly two-month low of 2.14 per cent, according to the daily health bulletin. It was the third day in a row that the daily cases in the national capital remained below 2,000.

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Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Vaccines give protection from COVID-19 variants: Apollo Hospital study

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The study conducted by Apollo Hospital found that vaccines were effective in combating mutated variants and protecting the vaccinated from severe illness, hospitalization, or death.

The study was conducted on 69 health workers who had contracted the disease after receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The 69 health workers had been inoculated with the Covishield vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford. Out of these 51 workers were fully vaccinated while 18 remaining workers had received at least one dose of the vaccine.

The study highlighted the importance and effectiveness of vaccines in preventing severe illnesses caused due to COVID-19 variants. It concluded that vaccination of health care workers offered important protection from severe illness due to variants that would necessitate hospitalisation, ICU admissions and deaths.

According to Dr Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director and Senior Paediatric Gastroenterologist of Apollo Hospital, “There were only two hospital admissions (2.89 percent) for minor symptoms, but no ICU admissions and deaths, from this group. These findings are significant because more than half of the cohort were found infected with the Variant of Concern (VoC) and still escaped from the severe illness, which could have been a severe event for them without vaccination coverage.”

According to Dr Raju Vaishya, Senior Consultant Orthopedics at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi the post-vaccination COVID-19 infections were seen only in a small subset of health workers and a majority of the cases were of minor infections despite being caused by the Variants of Concern.

Dr Vaishya, one of the principal authors of the study, also suggested the fully vaccinated people remain careful for at least two weeks and follow all precautions. “ Since the immunity in an individual takes some time after the vaccination, therefore it is essential for the vaccinated individual to be extra careful at least two weeks after the 2nd dose of vaccination and even further, by taking universal safety precautions like maintaining social distancing, using face masks, and hand sanitation,” Dr Vaishya advised.

This is the second study published in May by the hospital. An earlier study published on May 15 had concluded that the vaccine breakthrough of COVID-19 (individuals getting infected with the SARS CoV-2 virus after partial or full vaccination) occurred only in a small percentage of vaccinated people. This was true for even Variants of Concern like the B.1.617 variant.

For more updates on coronavirus and vaccines, follow our live blog

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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Will Centre review its liberalised vaccine policy? Experts discuss

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A broader look at the numbers reveals a bleak picture of the total vaccines administered so far. 78 percent have received only a single dose and 22 percent have received the second dose.

This takes the percentage of fully-vaccinated Indians to just a little over three percent of the population. The liberalised vaccine policy announced by the government in April has become more or less redundant.

According to the policy, vaccine manufacturers are required to give 50 percent of their supply to the central government, and the remaining to states and private players.

However, with supply being a constraint, several states have been compelled to shut down vaccination centres owing to no supply for 18-44 years category. The decision to let Indian states individually buy vaccines from global producers has also hit a wall.

Global vaccine makers like Pfizer and Moderna have clearly conveyed their preference to deal with the Centre as a single entity for procurement of vaccines, rather than deal with each state separately.

Moderna and Pfizer have told the Punjab and Delhi governments that they will deal directly with the centre.

India is the only country where the government has asked states to separately negotiate to buy vaccines, and as of now, there is no significant update on vaccine supply till at least July if not later. The big question now is how will states plan reopening and the lifting of COVID restrictions without clarity on vaccine supply?

To discuss this, CNBC-TV18 spoke to Sanjiv Navangul, MD & CEO of Bharat Serums & Vaccines; Dr V Ravi, Virologist and Member, K’taka COVID Technical Committee; Murali Neelakantan, Principal Lawyer at Amicus and Rajeshwari Hariharan, Founder of Rajeshwari & Associates.

Dr V Ravi said, “It is probably now advisable for the central government to take requirements from each of the states and then float a single global tender. It will have two advantages manufacturers would like to negotiate with one customer rather than with many customers, two the negotiating power for the central government also will be very good.”

He added, “Before we review the policy, we should make an attempt from the central government to see if we can procure vaccines for the country and then distribute it based on the requirements of the states, of course, the money will be paid by the state governments.”

Sanjiv Navangul said, “The transparency that is required to ensure that there is an equitable distribution of vaccines is very important. In a public health scenario where we are dealing with a pandemic, it is important that everybody knows exactly what is happening to the extent possible.”

“Of course we should concentrate on the fact that it is not 18-44 or 44 plus the fact remains that we have to vaccinate 940 million adults at the earliest possible time.”

Murali Neelakantan said, “We already had four reviews of the policy in three weeks, there is no big announcement by the Prime Minister, but there have been changes and very significant changes in the policy in the last one month.”

Watch accompanying video for more.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Bleeding and clotting after COVID vaccination negligible in India, says panel

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Incidents of bleeding and clotting after taking a COVID-19 vaccine, especially Covishield, are “minuscule,” said a government report. The report by the Adverse Effect Following Immunisation (AEFI) Committee, sent to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on May 17, mentioned that the number of cases of blood clotting following vaccination in the country is within the expected range.

The committee conducted an urgent analysis of all post-vaccination clotting cases due to global concerns regarding the adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccines. The World Health Organization’s Global Advisory Committee on Vaccination Safety (GACVS) had released a statement in April regarding these blood clotting incidents.

The GACVS panel had said Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), a rare type of blood clotting event typically associated with low platelet count, was being observed in a few individuals who were administered Covishield and Vaxzeria shots, both brand names under which the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is being sold.

As per the AEFI Committee report, there were more than 23,000 adverse effect incidents reported through the CoWIN portal. Out of these, 23,000 incidents, only about 700 were reported to be in the severe or serious category. These numbers were as of April 4, when 75,435,381 vaccine doses had been administered (Covishield: 68,650,819 and Covaxin: 6,784,562).

The AEFI committee then conducted an in-depth review of 498 of these 700 severe cases. From these 498 cases, it was found that only 26 cases had reported being potentially thromboembolic. In thromboembolic cases, the blood clot can be carried by the bloodstream after breaking free to plug another vessel, potentially causing a stroke.

As per the review, there were no potential thromboembolic events reported following administration of the Covaxin vaccine.

The reported rate of blood clotting cases in India is minuscule compared to the reported rates of cases of the UK’s four/million doses and Germany’s 10/million doses.

“It is important to know that thromboembolic events keep occurring in the general population, and background and scientific literature suggests that this risk is almost 70 percent less in persons of South and South East Asian descent in comparison to those from European descent,” the report stated.

The government is going to issue advisories to encourage people to be aware of suspected thromboembolic symptoms occurring within 20 days of receiving any COVID-19 vaccine (particularly Covishield) and report them to the health facility where the vaccine was administered.

According to the GACVS statement in April regarding the mechanism of clotting events, “The biological mechanism for this syndrome of TTS is still being investigated. At this stage, a ‘platform specific’ mechanism related to the adenovirus-vectored vaccines is not certain but cannot be excluded. Ongoing review of TTS cases and related research should include all vaccines using adenoviral vector platforms.”

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Johnson & Johnson vaccines to be available in India soon

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Biden administration is considering joint production of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine in India by tying up with potential manufacturers like Serum Institute of India (SII) to ramp up production to meet the global vaccine demand, according to Daniel B Smith, Charge d’Affaires of the US Embassy.

The US has a stockpile of 10 million doses but has said that it will not be  sharing it with other countries. However, the US has earmarked 60 million doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine to be shared across countries with India also being a major beneficiary.

The US Government is also toying with the idea of working with other manufacturers to increase production and promote private sector investment via the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) for manufacturing Johnson & Johnson vaccines in India. It is also assisting India pharma company Biological E to produce a billion doses by the end of 2022 under the new Indo-Pacific vaccine partnership. This initiative was an outcome of the meeting of the Quad leaders in March.

Meanwhile, the US government is making efforts to supply the raw materials as asked by India to produce vaccines despite global supply disruptions.

The vaccine manufactured by Johnson & Johnson was only 66.3 percent effective in clinical trials. The vaccine helps in preventing serious illness leading to hospitalization and death in COVId-19 patients. Post 4 weeks of vaccination, none of the people who were administered the jab were hospitalized.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow