A comparison of Covishield and Covaxin: COVID-19 vaccines approved by India

#AstraZeneca #Coronavirus #CoronavirusVaccine

Covishield showed an efficacy of 70%, its maker, AstraZeneca, had said
Covaxin is an indigenous vaccine, developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech
Company said on Thursday it had enrolled candidates for phase III clinical trial of its vaccine

Written By:

Updated: January 07 2021 02:04:14 AM ET New Delhi, Delhi, India

India’s drug regulator, Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, had granted approval to the two COVID-19 vaccines: Covishield and Covaxin.

Although the Centre had said it would rollout the vaccine within 10 days from the date of emergency use authorisation by the drugs regulator, the exact date hasn’t been announced.

Also read: ‘Be prepared to receive supply of COVID-19 vaccine,’ Health Ministry tells states, UTs

After the first dry run of coronavirus vaccination on January 2, a nationwide dry run will be conducted on Friday.

As India is close to rolling out the coronavirus vaccines, here is a comparison of them:

Maker

Covishield has been developed by British-Swedish pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca, in a collaboration with the University of Oxford. Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) conducted its clinical trials in India and will manufacture its doses for the mass immunisation drive.

Covaxin is India’s indigenous vaccine, developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech.

Efficacy

AstraZeneca said its vaccine showed 70% efficacy.

Clinical trials of Covaxin hasn’t concluded. Its maker Bharat Biotech said on Thursday that it has enrolled candidates for phase III clinical trials of Covaxin.

Dosage

Both Covishield and Covaxin are two-dose vaccines. The two doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine is given six weeks apart. The two doses of Covaxin will be given 28 days apart, the company had announced after Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij who was administered the first dose, contracted the coronavirus.

Temperature at which they need to be stored

Both the vaccines need to be stored at 2°C to 8°C, which makes their transport and storage easier in India’s hot and humid conditions.

Pfizer’s vaccine needs to be stored at -70°C while Moderna’s shot is stored at -20°C, which is difficult given India’s weather condition.

Also read: Covishield, Covaxin will be available in India soon: Health Minister

Cost

Although Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had said the vaccines will be free of cost for prioritised beneficiaries, it isn’t clear if they will be free for everyone.