What are the New COVID Vaccines and Pill Approved by India?

India cleared two more covid vaccines and one pill on December 28, 2021.

Key Points

• The two vaccines, Corbevax and Covovax, were approved by drug regulator Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
• Anti-viral drug Molnupiravir was also approved. It can be used only in an emergency situation.

Number of approved Covid vaccines

The number of approved covid-19 vaccine for emergency use authorisation in India has increased to eight. Before these vaccines, 6 vaccines were approved for emergency use authorisation:

1. Serum Institute’s Covishield
2. Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin
3. Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D
4. Russia’s Sputnik V
5. US-made Moderna and
6. US-made Johnson and Johnson

Corbevax covid vaccine

Corbevax covid-19 vaccine is 1st indigenously developed RBD protein sub-unit vaccine in India.  It has been manufactured by Hyderabad-based firm Biological-E.

Covovax Covid vaccine

Covovax is a nanoparticle Vaccine, which will be manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India.

Molnupiravir covid pill

Molnupiravir is an antiviral drug. It will be manufactured in India by 13 companies for restricted use under emergency situation. It will be used for treatment of adult covid-19 patients and who have high risk of progression of this disease.

Covid-19 cases in India

6,358 new people tested positive for coronavirus infections on December 27. With this, India’s total number of COVID-19 cases increased to 3,47,99,691. The active covid cases have decreased to 75,456. India reported 293 fresh deaths and thus death toll has increased to 4,80,290.  India has reported 653 cases of the Omicron variant in 21 states and UTs so far.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2021