India on Saturday launched the world’s largest COVID-19 immunisation drive with Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the citizens to maintain the social distancing, wearing masks all the time, even though they have received the first jab, not to forget to take the second shot of the vaccine and not to fall for propaganda and rumours.

Two COVID-19 vaccines have been approved in India, one made by Pune-based Serum Institute of India in collaboration with Oxford-AstraZeneca, while the other has been developed indigenously by Bharat Biotech.

In pictures | India launches nationwide vaccine drive against coronavirus

However, only Serum Institute’s Covishield has completed the Phase 3 clinical trial for safety and efficacy while Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin has finished earlier-stage trials without providing any data on its efficacy. 

Bharat Biotech vaccine will be used in “clinical trial mode,” the drug regulators have said as people have started getting their first jab, with them not choosing which vaccine they will be receiving. 

Bharat Biotech, in a consent form to be signed by those receiving vaccine, has said, the company will pay compensation to recipients in case of serious adverse effects, if experienced after receiving the shot. 

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“In case of any adverse events or serious adverse events, you will be provided medically recognised standard of care in the government designated and authorised centres/hospitals,” Bharat Biotech said, reports PTI. 

Vaccinations have started at around 3,000 sites across the nation, as authorities have said the number will grow in the coming weeks. (LIVE UPDATES) Nearly 300,000 people in India are supposed to receive the first jab of the vaccine on Saturday as frontline workers will be vaccinated free of cost. 

A public health and bioethics expert, Anant Bhutan said, The Washington Post reports, “There remains “a lot of conjecture” around how regulators reached the decision to grant emergency approval to the Bharat Biotech vaccine in the absence of efficacy data.”

“As vaccine roll out begins, it is all a bit puzzling India has no policy framework for authorising emergency use. Yet, two vaccines have been approved for restricted use in an emergency situation,” Congress leader Manish Tewari said. He told ANI, “Indians are not guinea pigs.”

The lack of transparency in approving vaccines in India has raised doubts among experts. It could also undermine confidence in the vaccines to a larger extent.