Covid Vaccine Update

Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine could get approval in the UK and India next week

Both the United Kingdom and India are expected to become the first countries to grant emergency regulatory approval for the AstraZeneca and Oxford University vaccine next week, according to a Reuters report.

The vaccine, named Covishield by its manufacturers in the subcontinent, the Serum Institute of India (SII), will spearhead India’s January nationwide vaccination programme, which was announced by the Indian Ministry of Health on Sunday.

While there are eight Covid-19 vaccines being manufactured in India, Covishield is the frontrunner as it can be stored safely between two and eight degrees Celsius, meaning it can be transported cheaply in normal refrigerators. The Telegraph 23 Dec 2020