India has reached out to several countries to boost global access to Covaxin after World Health Organization (WHO) granted emergency use listing (EUL) to the Bharat Biotech-manufactured COVID-19 vaccine on November 3, according to a media report. Besides the Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) discussions with counterparts from various countries, India’s diplomatic missions are also involved in the push to get more governments to recognise Covaxin. The nations contacted include those with whom India has a mutual vaccination certificate, reports Economic Times.

What does WHO emergency use listing mean for Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin?

Covaxin and Covishield are the two most widely used vaccines in India’s nationwide inoculation drive against coronavirurs, which began on January 16. Covaxin and Covishield were also the first two COVID-19 vaccines to receive emergency use authorisation (EUA) from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D is the only other indigenous vaccine to receive EUA by the drug regulator.

Australia adds India’s Covaxin to list of approved jabs for travellers

Earlier this week, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the WHO recognition will facilitate travel for many Indian citizens. The United States has already included Covaxin in its updated list of approved vaccines, meaning those who have been inoculated with the vaccine can easily enter the country when it opens borders to vaccinated foreign travellers from November 8.

The WHO has said it wants Bharat Biotech to join the global health agency’s technology access pool to share technology and know-how for “increased production of vaccines in different continents.”

As world closes on 5 million deaths, experts say no country escaped COVID

Covaxin was assessed under the WHO EUL procedure based on the review of data on quality, safety, efficacy, a risk management plan and programmatic suitability. The WHO’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG) concluded Covaxin meets WHO standards for protection against COVID-19 and benefits far outweigh risks for the vaccine’s use globally.

Covaxin is formulated from an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 antigen and is presented in single dose vials and multidose vials of 5, 10 and 20 doses.