Tag: Covishield

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India to issue new guidelines for UK arrivals

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and her Indian counterpart S Jaishankar held talks and agreed to facilitate travel between the two nations, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

The Government of India will issue fresh guidelines for foreign nationals from the UK after the British government ordered to discontinue mandatory COVID-19 norms for those vaccinated with Covishield and travelling from India to the UK, sources said on Friday.

“Ministry of Health is going to issue fresh guidelines for foreign nationals from the UK after the country ordered to discontinue mandatory testing and quarantine norms for those vaccinated with Covishield travelling from India to the UK,” sources said.

This comes a day after the UK government announced that no quarantine will be required for vaccinated Indian travellers.

READ MORE: UK lifts quarantine rule for Indian travellers

British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis, on Thursday, said that there would be no quarantine required for fully vaccinated Indian travellers in the UK from October 11, thereby ending the row over what New Delhi described as “discriminatory” travel rules by London.

UK
Earlier on Friday, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his UK counterpart Liz Truss held talks and agreed to facilitate travel between the two nations.

Eligible travellers vaccinated in over 47 new countries and territories including Brazil, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, South Africa, and Turkey will also be treated the same as returning fully vaccinated UK residents, so long as they have not visited a red list country or territory in the duration of 10 days before arriving in England.

Ellis also thanked the Indian government for cooperation over last month.

Last month, London announced the new rules making it mandatory for a 10-day quarantine and RT-PCR test even for fully vaccinated Indians travelling to the UK.

Enraged by the move, India in retaliation has imposed reciprocal measures for UK citizens travelling to India since October 4.

Earlier on Friday, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his UK counterpart Liz Truss held talks and agreed to facilitate travel between the two nations. “Good to talk to UK Foreign Secretary @trussliz. Agreed to facilitate travel between our two countries. This will help to implement the Roadmap 2030,” Jaishankar tweeted.

Meanwhile, another 36,060 people in the UK have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 8,081,300, according to official figures released Friday.

The country also recorded another 127 coronavirus-related deaths, Xinhua news agency reported. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in the UK now stands at 137,541. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

There are currently 6,763 patients in hospital with Covid-19.

The data came as the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is lifting restrictive Covid travel advice for a further 51 countries and territories. Destinations that are having the “all but essential travel” advice lifted include former amber list nations.

With the advice lifted, people will be able to get travel insurance again for those countries as most insurers use it as a reference point to exclude cover. The number of countries on the travel red list has been slashed to just seven on Thursday. The destinations that remain on the red list are Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Haiti and Dominican Republic.

More than 85 per cent of people aged 12 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine and more than 78 per cent have received both doses, the latest figures showed.

ALSO READ – India, UK hold talks on Cyber Capacity Building

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Belgium recognises India’s Covishield vaccine

He said Covishield is one of the main vaccines, which is and will be used under the COVAX facility…reports Asian Lite News.

Belgium has recognised the Covishield vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, said the Embassy of Belgium in India on Friday.

“Belgium recognises Covishield, the @AstraZeneca vaccine produced by @SerumInstIndia and distributed by COVAX. An important decision for India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh in the fight against vaccine inequality,” Belgium in India tweeted.

Earlier this week, the Netherlands approved the Covishield vaccine for travellers.

Meanwhile, Switzerland, Iceland and seven EU countries have also allowed the SII-manufactured Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine on July 1, a day after external affairs minister S Jaishankar said he had taken up with the European bloc to accept COVID-19 vaccines, Covishield and Covaxin.

According to sources, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Estonia and Spain have confirmed accepting Covishield for travel entry. Switzerland has also allowed Covishield for the Schengen state.

Estonia has confirmed that it will recognize all the vaccines authorized by the Government of India for the travel of Indians to Estonia, said sources.

India had requested EU member states to individually consider extending exemption to those persons who have taken Covishield and Covaxin and said it will institute a reciprocal policy for recognition of the EU Digital COVID Certificate, according to sources.

‘Positive impact on India’

Charge d’affaires of Belgium Embassy Arnaud Lion on Friday said that recognition of Covishield by his country will have a positive impact for everyone getting the vaccine shot in India and abroad.

“On July 7, the inter-ministerial conference in Belgium decided to recognize the Covishield vaccination, which will have a positive impact I hope for everyone in India and outside India being vaccinated with Covishield,” Lion told ANI.

He said Covishield is one of the main vaccines, which is and will be used under the COVAX facility.

“Covishield will be used not only in India, in neighbouring countries, but also all over the world. COVAX is a facility that is aimed at helping countries to also get vaccinated. So that’s the idea behind the fight against vaccine inequalities,” he said.

“It’s very important that everyone gets vaccine because nowadays everyone travels. So you cannot isolate a country. It is also basically the rationale behind the fact that we have recognized Covishield,” he added.

He said India is in category number 3 under Belgium’s four-category system which means that only essential travel is being permitted.

“I’m very happy to announce that under essential travel, students are considered. Since Monday here in Delhi, we have delivered over 100 long-stay visas. In Mumbai, over 300. Of the long-stay visa, 80 per cent are for students,” Lion said.

He said students who arrive in Belgium need to fulfil 10 days quarantine and go for mandatory testing on day one and day seven.

“People who are coming into Belgium with a recognized vaccine, which is now the case of Covishield, they only have to do testing,” the envoy added. (Sahil Pandey/ANI)

ALSO READ-Accept Indian vaccines or face mandatory quarantine, India tells EU

READ MORE-US to send 4 million doses of vaccine to India

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EU may deny entry to Covishield jab receivers

COVISHIELD

In the UK, where AstraZeneca is the prevalent vaccine in use, a share of the population has received the Indian-made jab, manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII)….reports Asian Lite News

As the European Union (EU) is reopening borders to non-EU tourists especially those who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, travellers inoculated with the Indian-made AstraZeneca vaccine, or Covishield, could face problems when entering the bloc, the European Commission suggested on Friday.

While the AstraZeneca vaccine produced in Europe, branded Vaxzevira, has been greenlighted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the Indian version Covishield has not even requested for the market authorization, according to Stefan De Keersmaecker, the Commission’s spokesman for health issues, the Xinhua news agency reported.

In the UK, where AstraZeneca is the prevalent vaccine in use, a share of the population has received the Indian-made jab, manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII).

In total, five million doses were imported from India, but health authorities said they were not called Covishield and considered the same product as those produced in north Wales and Staffordshire, according to the BBC.

“Of course, the Covishield manufacturer is always free to request the authorization of this vaccine, but for the time being, it is not the case,” said Keersmaecker.

EU President Ursula von der Leyen

An EU-wide Digital Covid Certificate officially entered into force on Thursday, allowing people to travel within the EU-plus area without restrictions if they can either prove to have been fully vaccinated with the EMA-approved vaccines, or have tested negative or recovered from the infection.

Meanwhile, EU member states have the right to accept travelers vaccinated with jabs approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), among which is the Covishield. Media reports said only a small number of the 27 member states have announced the acceptance.

In response to concerns that people from the UK may be denied entry when traveling to the EU, Keersmaecker said the European Commission is working to solve the problem.

“In order to assure a coordinated approach here, the Commission is obviously in contact in discussion with the member states to go through these different vaccines and to see which is the best coordinated approach,” said the spokesman.

ALSO READ: Boris Backs India’s Covishield For EU Green Pass



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Boris Backs India’s Covishield For EU Green Pass

Boris Johnson(IANS)

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he saw no reason why people who received India-made vaccine – Covishield – should be left out of vaccine passport schemes, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he is “very confident” there “will not prove to be a problem” for travellers who have received an Indian-produced Covid-19 vaccine.

It comes after reports the European Union’s passport scheme does not recognise the AstraZeneca vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India, known as Covishield.

ALSO READ – 7 EU nations clear Covishield amid travel pass row

Johnson on Friday said he saw no reason why people who received India-made vaccine should be left out of vaccine passport schemes.

“I see no reason at all why the MHRA-approved vaccines should not be recognised as part of the vaccine passports and I’m very confident that that will not prove to be a problem,” Johnson said at a joint news conference with Angela Merkel, referring to Britain’s medicines regulator.

Covishield
Boris Johnson visits Covid-19 Vaccine Centre (No 10 Flickr)

About 5 million people in Britain are thought to have had the vaccine made by Serum Institute in India, according to reports.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands became the latest EU country to approve the SII-manufactured Covishield vaccine for travellers, days after India pushed for the approval of its COVID-19 vaccines in Europe.

According to the website of the government of the Netherlands, Covishield has been included in the list of approved vaccines along with the doses from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

ALSO READ – Poonawalla hopes to resolve Covishield, EU travel issues soon

People who have been fully vaccinated can be exempted from the EU entry ban unless they are travelling from a country that has been designated as a very high-risk area due to the presence of a variant of concern.

Earlier, Switzerland, Iceland and seven EU countries on Thursday allowed the SII-manufactured Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine, a day after external affairs minister S Jaishankar said he had taken up with the European bloc to accept COVID-19 vaccines, Covishield and Covaxin.

Jaishankar highlights need for vaccine equity, fair travel regime

According to sources, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Estonia and Spain have confirmed accepting Covishield for travel entry. Switzerland has also allowed Covishield for the Schengen state.

Estonia has confirmed that it will recognize all the vaccines authorized by the Government of India for the travel of Indians to Estonia, said sources.

India had requested EU member states to individually consider extending exemption to those persons who have taken Covishield and Covaxin and said it will institute a reciprocal policy for recognition of the EU Digital COVID Certificate, according to sources.

ALSO READ – Jaishankar highlights need for vaccine equity, fair travel regime

“We have requested EU member states to individually consider extending similar exemption to those persons who have taken COVID-19 vaccines in India i.e. Covishield and Covaxin, and accept the vaccination certificate issued through the CoWIN portal. The genuineness of such vaccination certification can be authenticated on the CoWIN portal,” a source said.

The 27-member European bloc has introduced the EU Digital COVID Certificate framework to facilitate safe free movement during the COVID pandemic and it came into effect on July 1.

COVISHIELD

Under this framework, persons vaccinated with vaccines authorised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will be exempted from travel restrictions within the EU, sources said adding that individual member states have the flexibility to also accept vaccines that have been authorized at the national level or by the World Health Organization.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at the weekly media briefing that India expects that CoWIN vaccination certificate would be recognized by the EU on a reciprocal basis.

“We understand European Union instituted EU digital COVID certificate for exempting restrictions on the movement of vaccinated people. Our expectation is that Indians vaccinated through our domestic vaccination programme would be treated at par with those vaccinated in the EU and CoWIN vaccination certificate would be recognized by EU on a reciprocal basis,” he said.

“As you are aware such CoWIN vaccine certificates can be authenticated on the CoWIN website itself. We are in touch with EU member states in this regard for reciprocal acceptance. I understand the number of EU countries have already taken positive steps in this direction,” he added.

A large number of countries in the Caribbean and Africa are also using made in India vaccines.

India has ruled out the export of vaccines at the moment, MEA said. The country is right now purposing its domestic vaccination programme that is moving very rapidly.

Many European nations are awaiting approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for Covishield. (with inputs from ANI)

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7 EU nations clear Covishield amid travel pass row

Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland and Spain — and Switzerland have cleared the Serum Institute of India’s Covishield, reports Asian Lite News

Seven European Union countries – Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Iceland, Ireland and Spain – and Switzerland have cleared the Serum Institute of India’s Covishield amid travel pass row, sources have said.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA), the EU’s top medical body, has approved only four vaccines so far – Pfizer-BioNTech’s Comirnaty, US pharma giant Moderna’s Covid vaccine, AstraZeneca shot manufactured and sold in Europe as Vaxzervria, and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen. Only those who’ve been given these shots are granted vaccination passports, and allowed to travel hassle-free amid the pandemic.

Covishield, manufactured in India by the world’s largest manufacture Serum Institute of India – in partnership with the Oxford University and AstraZeneca – is not on the list. Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin is also not on the EMA list.

The EU does, however, also say “member states may decide to extend this (the certificate) also to EU travellers that received another vaccine”.

Under these rules, Indians – vaccinated with Covishield or Covaxin – may be subject to quarantine if they travel to the EU nations, unless these vaccines are cleared by the respective countries.

On Wednesday, sources in the foreign ministry said India will begin a reciprocal policy when it comes to exemption from quarantine. This would mean that unless the European Union accepts Covishield and Covaxin certificates, their certificates will not be accepted in the country and people from EU will face mandatory quarantine upon arrival in India.

Adar Poonawalla on Wednesday said the Serum Institute is hoping the European drug regulators will approve Covishield in a few weeks.

The Serum Institute has applied through AstraZeneca, Mr Poonawalla said at at the India Global Forum, according to reports; and it was “just a matter of time” since the vaccine was approved by the World Health Organization and the UK’s health care regulator.

Earlier on Monday, he had tweeted: “I realise that a lot of Indians who have taken Covishield are facing issues with travel to the E.U., I assure everyone, I have taken this up at the highest levels and hope to resolve this matter soon, both with regulators and at a diplomatic level with countries. (sic)”

Last month, the Indian government had opposed to the idea of a “vaccine passports” at a meeting of health ministers from G7 countries.

“Expressed India’s concern and strong opposition to “vaccine passport” at this juncture of the pandemic. With vaccine coverage as a percentage of population in developing countries still low compared to developed countries, such an initiative could prove to be highly discriminatory. (sic)” Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had tweeted after the meeting.

ALSO READ-Accept Indian vaccines or face mandatory quarantine, India tells EU

READ MORE-Limited vax supply key issue for many EU nations

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EU excludes Covishield from ‘Green Pass’ list

Meanwhile, SII has begun manufacturing Novavax’s protein-based vaccine Covovax, CEO Adar Poonawalla has said…reports Asian Lite News.

The European Union has not yet approved Covishield, India-made version of AstraZeneca Covid vaccine, for the green travel pass that will be available for use from July 1.

That means, travellers vaccinated with Covishield may not be eligible for the vaccine passport that will enable Europeans to move freely for work or tourism.

While the European Union had earlier said that member states should issue the certificates regardless of the type of Covid-19 vaccine, the technical specifications of the ‘Green Pass’ indicate that obligation would be limited to “vaccines that have received EU-wide marketing authorization,” the Hindustan Times reported.

According to the report, at present, four vaccines have been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) that can be used in the EU member states: Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech), Moderna, Vaxzervria (AstraZeneca), Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).

Covishield is manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), has not been approved by the EMA for the European market. The EU green pass will only recognise the Vaxzervria version of the AstraZeneca vaccine that is manufactured in the UK or other sites around Europe, it was reported.

Meanwhile, SII has begun manufacturing Novavax’s protein-based vaccine Covovax, CEO Adar Poonawalla has said.

The company will also begin clinical trials of Novavax for children starting July.

In the recently released Phase -3 trials, Covovax has shown overall 90 per cent efficacy against Covid-19. The US-based trials also demonstrated the two-shot vaccine 100 per cent protection against moderate and severe disease.

“The vaccine has great potential to protect our future generations below the age of 18. Trials are ongoing. Well done team,” he said.

SII’s Phase-2 and 3 clinical trials of Covovax will reportedly be conducted in 920 children — 460 each in 12-17 years and 2-11 years groups, media reports said.

In August 2020, Novavax and SII had announced an agreement under which the US biotechnology company had given SII the licence to manufacture and supply the vaccine in low- and middle-income countries.

In March 2021, CEO Poonawalla said Covovax will be launched by September this year.

ALSO READ-MEA says overseas vaccine supply will depend on availability

READ MORE-Merkel defends patent protection for vaccines

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Govt extends Covishield gap to 16 weeks

The gap between the two doses of the same vaccine is 6-8 weeks at present…reports Asian Lite News.

The Covid Working Group chaired by N.K. Arora has recommended extension of the gap between the first and second doses of Covishield vaccine to 12-16 weeks.

The gap between the two doses of the same vaccine is 6-8 weeks at present.

The working group, based on the available real-life evidences, particularly from the UK, agreed on increasing the interval to 12-16 weeks between two doses of Covishield vaccine. However, there is no change in interval of Covaxin doses.

The Covid Working Group comprises Dr N.K. Arora, Director, INCLEN Trust; Dr Rakesh Agarwal, Dr Gagandeep Kang, Dr J.P. Mulliyal, Dr Naveen Khanna, Group Leader; Dr Amulya Panda, Director, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi and Dr V.G. Somani, Drugs Controller General of India.

The recommendation of the COVID Working Group was accepted by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC), headed by Dr V K Paul, Member (Health) Niti Aayog in its meeting on May 12.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also accepted this recommendation of the COVID Working Group for extension of the gap between the first and second doses of Covishield vaccine to 12 -16 weeks.

ALSO READ-Pfizer Covid vax endorsed for kids

READ MORE-India to produce 9 crore vaccine doses by June

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Serum Institute to start vaccine production in London

Adar Poonawalla

In an interview with The Times, CEO of Serum Institute of India Adar Poonawalla said that everything falls on his shoulders when it comes to delivering the Covid vaccine to millions in India., reports Asian Lite News

Admitting that he is facing immense pressure from “some of the most powerful people in India” demanding supplies of Covishield, Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla said on Saturday that the company is also planning to start vaccine production in the UK, the media reported.

In an interview with The Times, Poonawalla said that everything falls on his shoulders when it comes to delivering the Covid vaccine to millions in India.

“I’m staying here (London) for an extended time because I don’t want to go back to that situation. Everything falls on my shoulders, but I can’t do it alone…I don’t want to be in a situation where you are just trying to do your job, and just because you can’t supply the needs of X, Y or Z, you really don’t want to guess what they are going to do,” Poonawalla told The Times.

Serum

Referring to the phone calls from some of the most powerful people in India to get them vaccines first, he added: “The level of expectation and aggression is really unprecedented. It’s overwhelming. Everyone feels they should get the vaccine. They can’t understand why anyone else should get it before them.”

India is facing an immense crunch of vaccines amid the lethal second Covid wave, and as the country started vaccination for people in the 18-44 age group in its third drive on Saturday, several states are unable to start the immunisation drive because of the demand-supply gap.

Also Read – Serum Institute says Covishield is most affordable jab

The CEO of the Pune-based pharmaceutical company said that the company will make an official announcement to produce vaccines in London in the coming days.

“There’s going to be an announcement in the next few days,” he said.

Recently, SII had borrowed money from banks instead of waiting for the government’s aid to arrive to scale up the production of its Covishield vaccine.

The company assumed that the funding from the government will reach them very soon, probably by this week.

Covishield has been developed by the Oxford University and AstraZeneca and manufactured by the SII.

The government recently announced that it has given in-principle approval for credit to vaccine manufacturers, SII and Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, to boost India’s vaccine production in the wake of the huge surge in Covid-19 caseload.

The Union Finance Ministry has approved to sanction Rs 3,000 crore credit for SII and Rs 1,500 crore for Bharat Biotech.

Poonawalla had earlier suggested that the company would require around Rs 3,000 crore to increase production of Covid-19 vaccines.

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 Bangladesh suspends new Covishield doses

COVISHIELD

Bangladesh has been waiting for two million doses of Covishield as they had paid in advance for the two million doses…reports Asian Lite News

Bangladesh has temporarily suspended the Covishield vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India, Pune, media reported.

This was after growing uncertainty over the vaccine supply given the worsening situation in India after hit by the second Covid-19 wave.

According to reports, Directorate General of Bangladesh’s Health Services, General ABM Khurshed, issued a circular on April 25, stating that it will enable those who have already received the first dose to complete the procedure.

Bangladesh has been waiting for two million doses of Covishield. The Bangladeshi officials had earlier said that they had paid in advance for the two million doses, reported The Hindu.

Meanwhile, the country has decided to extend its ongoing lockdown for another week to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Covidshield

“The decision was taken in line with suggestions by public health experts and considering the global COVID-19 situation,” said the State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain.

Shops and malls will remain open from 10 am to 8 pm, the Dhaka Tribune reported, quoting public official Hossain.

Indo-Bangla border closure

However, the final decision will be taken at another meeting on Tuesday, officials further said.

Officials from different ministries including health, home, foreign, public administration, and civil aviation were present at the inter-ministerial to discuss the COVID-19 situation.

Bangladesh had also decided to close its border with India for the next 14 days following a sharp rise in the country’s COVID-19 cases and deaths.

A ban on entry from India has been imposed in line with the instructions of the prime minister’s office, Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told Dhaka Tribune on Sunday.

On Thursday, a proposal to shut down borders with India was rejected at an inter-ministerial meeting.

Mushtuq Husain, former Chief Scientific Officer of the Institute of Epidemiology and Disease Control, had earlier suggested imposing institutional quarantine requirements on arrivals from India.

India -Bangladesh border

He also said, “If the border cannot be closed completely, then those who come from India should be kept in a 14-day institutional quarantine. There is no alternative.”

He noted that most of incoming travellers from India are citizens of Bangladesh and they cannot be stopped by shutting down the border.

“But they must get their samples tested 72 hours in advance (of travelling). They must carry a coronavirus-negative certificate and quarantine upon arrival. If possible, everyone should be kept in institutional quarantine. If that is not possible, we must ensure that they quarantine at home.”

Mushtuq, however, played down concerns over the coronavirus variant that is running rampant across India and said that it has not yet been proven to be more harmful than other strains.

Also read:Bangladesh closes border with India

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Serum Institute says Covishield is most affordable jab

Covidshield

SII, which manufactures the AstraZeneca vaccine Covishield at its Pune facility, said that the initial prices were kept very low globally as it was based on advance funding given by the countries for at-risk vaccine manufacturing…reports Asian Lite News

 The Serum Institute of India (SII) on Saturday broke its silence over the pricing of its Covid-19 vaccine ‘Covishield’ and said that it is the most affordable vaccine available in the market today.

SII, which manufactures the AstraZeneca vaccine Covishield at its Pune facility, said that the initial prices were kept very low globally as it was based on advance funding given by the countries for at-risk vaccine manufacturing.

The initial supply price of the vaccine for all government immunisation programmes, including in India, was the lowest, it said.

“The price of the vaccine is still lower than a lot of other medical treatment and essentials required to treat Covid-19 and other life-threatening diseases,” Adar C. Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer, SII, said in a statement.

A medical health worker giving a shot of Covishield vaccine to a frontline worker. Covid-19 vaccination drive at private hospital daryaganj in New Delhi

The company also said that only a limited portion of Sll’s volume will be sold to private hospitals at Rs 600 per dose.

Earlier this week, the company had announced that Covishield will be sold at Rs 400 per dose to the state governments and Rs 600 to the private hospitals.

The Indian biotechnology and pharmaceuticals company announced the new prices after the government allowed vaccination for all persons above the age of 18 years from May 1 onwards.

Protection from ‘double mutant’

Covishield vaccine offers protection from double mutant variant of novel coronavirus, shows a study by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB).

CCMB Director Rakesh K. Mishra termed this as a very preliminary but encouraging result.

“Early results using in vitro neutralisation assay show that both convalescent (prior infection) sera and Covishield vaccinated sera offer protection against the B.1.617 variant, aka double mutant,” he said in a tweet.

The CCMB’s finding came close on the heels of an announcement by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) that Covaxin neutralises multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 and effectively works against the double mutant strain as well.


Media statement of Serum Institute India(Twitter)

The ‘double mutant’ (B.1.617) is said to be responsible for the current surge in Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra and other states in India. Scientists earlier feared that vaccines may not offer protection from ‘double mutant’ as it may escape the immune system.

After the CCMB’s latest announcement that Covishield too offers protection from ‘double mutant’, experts say this again underscore the need for people to get vaccinated.

CCMB scientist Divya Tej Sowpati tweeted that the convalescent sera is from September 2020, hence most likely of an infection of a variant which is not B.1.617.

He also pointed to misinformation and confusion about the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants in India.

Though B.1.617 is called ‘double mutant’, it is characterised by more than 15 mutations. “It got dubbed the ‘double mutant’ because of two spike mutations, L452R and E484Q, which were mutations of concern because of their immune escape properties, and possible high infectivity,” wrote Sowpati, who is leading Covid-19 genomics at CCMB.

Also read:India waives customs duty on oxygen, vaccines