Bharat Biotech commits to supply 500mn COVAXIN doses to Centre
Bharat Biotech on Friday said it has committed to supply over 500 million doses of COVAXIN to the Centre under the countrywide immunization program. Speaking at a virtual conference organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry, Suchitra Ella, joint Managing Director of the city-based vaccine maker, said the company's facilities in four cities - Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, and Ankleshwar - are currently producing COVAXIN.
Ella spoke about the commitment undertaken by COVAXIN
"In a nutshell, if I have to tell you, this is the journey of COVAXIN from April 2020 until June 2021," she said. "And it is still ongoing as we continue to manufacture, taking a commitment of more than 50 crore (500 million) of doses to be submitted to the Government of India for its immunization program," she said narrating the journey of COVAXIN.
54.5mn COVAXIN doses supplied from January-July 16: Minister
Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar had said in Parliament on Tuesday that from January to July 16, 5.45 crore (54.5 million) doses of COVAXIN by Bharat Biotech have been supplied to the Centre. "And also 36.01 (360 million) crore doses of Covishield have been supplied by the Serum Institute of India to the Centre," he had said.
COVAXIN has demonstrated 65.2 percent protection against Delta variant
Ella said the data of Phase 3 trials has been submitted to the Drug Controller General of India for its perusal and efficacy of the vaccine against many of the coronavirus variants was also tested. COVAXIN demonstrated 77.8 percent effectiveness against symptomatic COVID-19 and 65.2 percent protection against the B.1.617.2 Delta variant, Bharat Biotech said recently, while announcing the final analysis of the jab.
India has capacity to produce vaccines in large numbers: Ella
It had said the Efficacy Analysis demonstrates COVAXIN to be 93.4 percent effective against severe symptomatic COVID-19 cases. Ella said when it comes to vaccines not only for COVID-19, India, when compared to some other countries, has more capacity to produce vaccines in large numbers.
