WHO Approves Indian Vaccine Covovax for Emergency Use

The World Health Organization (WHO) approved on Friday the Indian Covovax COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use.

It was produced by the Serum Institute and licensed by Novavax. The vaccine targets people in lower and middle-income countries.

Dr. Mariângela Simão, WHO Assistant-Director General for Access to Medicines and Health Products, said: "This listing aims to increase access particularly in lower-income countries, 41 of which have still not been able to vaccinate 10% of their populations, while 98 countries have not reached 40%.”

The vaccine is a two-dose one, and it needs to be refrigerated at 2 to 8°C and its technology is based on creating an engineered baculovirus that carries a gene for a modified SARS-COV-2 spike protein.

Covovax becomes the ninth approved COVID-19 vaccine by the WHO.

The previously eight approved COVID-19 vaccines are Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, AstraZeneca’s vaccine that is manufactured in India, Covidshield, Sinopharm, Cavaxin, and Sinovac.

It is expected that the upcoming vaccine to be approved could be Sputnik V.