Status: January 2nd, 2021 4:39 pm
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In the second most populous country in the world, millions of people could soon be vaccinated. A group of experts from the Indian authorities recommended emergency approval for AstraZeneca’s product.
A group of experts from the Indian health authorities has advocated emergency approval of the corona vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University. This would pave the way for a widespread vaccination campaign in the country that has the second largest population in the world with 1.35 billion inhabitants.
According to the plans, 300 million people will be vaccinated against the corona virus in the first six to eight months. India has had over ten million proven cases of infection so far, the second highest figure after the United States.
A total of four vaccines are to be approved
After AstraZeneca’s recently recommended product, at least three more are waiting for approval, including the Russian vaccine Sputnik V. Biontech and Pfizer are said to have applied for emergency approval for their serum. Information Minister Prakash Javadeka said his country may be the only one where up to four vaccines can soon be used.
Debate about fair distribution
The Indian company SII (Serum Institute of India) had already started producing the AstraZeneca agent before the experts recommended it. 50 million cans should already be ready. However, there was criticism of SII’s marketing strategy. Because not only the government should have access to the vaccine, but also private interested parties. However, only after the full license and not just an emergency approval has been obtained.
Critics fear an unfair distribution of the vaccine as soon as it is sold privately. Different prices are also planned. The government agencies only have to pay around three US dollars, while the AstraZeneca serum is said to be sold on the open market for the equivalent of 13 dollars per dose.