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Covid-19 vaccine update: Russia’s efficacy claims, US to provide 6.4 million doses for emergency cases
In India, ambassadors and envoys from 100 countries will visit the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) and Gennova Biopharmaceuticals on December 4.
The global search for a vaccine against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) might soon come to an end as various biotech firms, developing a potential shot, have started sharing data on the efficacy of their respective candidates. Many countries, including India, have started planning on distribution of a vaccine, as and when one becomes available.
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The global caseload of Covid-19, meanwhile, has passed six million with more than 1.4 million people succumbing to the disease, as per a tally maintained by worldometers. The tally also shows more than 41.5 million people have defeated Covid-19 thus far.
Here are the latest updates on the Covid-19 vaccine development front:
1. Russia, which claims to have developed the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine-Sputnik V, on Tuesday said the candidate showed 91.4% efficacy on second analysis of clinical trial data and the overall efficacy of 95% of two doses combined. The vaccine has been developed jointly by the state-run Gamaleya Research institute and the Russian health ministry.
Also Read | Covid-19: Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine for coronavirus is 95% effective, cheaper than others, say developers
2. Ambassadors and envoys from 100 countries will visit the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) and Gennova Biopharmaceuticals on December 4, Pune divisional commissioner Saurabh Rao said. He further said the visit was earlier scheduled for November 27 but was later postponed. SII, which is the world’s largest vaccine maker, has partnered with Oxford University and AstraZeneca for their vaccine candidate.
3. The United States will distribute 6.4 million doses of the Pfizer Inc-BioNTech SE vaccine candidate in the first week if it gets emergency use authorisation (EUA), officials have said. A US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) committee will decide on December 10 if the vaccine is safe and efficient enough to be used in emergency cases.
4. French president Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said vaccination for Covid-19 could start by December if a candidate is approved by health regulators. “We are going to organise a swift and massive vaccination campaign,” Macron said in a televised address to the nation while detailing how the country would start easing a lockdown this weekend.
(With agency inputs)
