Governed by science--not vaccine nationalism

Nearly all vaccines need to be transported and distributed between 2C and 8C in what comprises the so-called cold chain. And most of the Covid-19 vaccines under development, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), will need to be refrigerated at temperatures well below 0C, the freezing point of water.

The WHO says Covid-19 vaccines under development can be categorised in three storage temperature requirements: 2-8C, -20C and -70C. This ‘’ultra-cold chain’’ will prove to be a challenge to many countries. Ensuring a consistent cold chain for a mass immunisation programme will be a big challenge. India's cold storage capacity is one of the world's largest, but it mainly stores fresh food, healthcare products, flowers and chemicals. Much of the capacity is not internationally hygiene compliant for storing vaccines. Vaccines can easily lose potency when exposed to higher temperatures, and have to be protected against accidental freezing during transport, as well as breaks in the cold chain due to exposure to high heat.

The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is being manufactured locally by the Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer. It says it is producing more than 50 million doses a month.The jab, which is known as Covishield in India, is administered in two doses given between four and 12 weeks apart. It can be safely stored at temperatures of 2C to 8C, about the same as a domestic fridge, and can be delivered in existing health care settings such as doctors' surgeries.

Bharat Biotech's Covaxin

The local vaccine, however, was approved despite the absence of data on how efficient it can be. It has yet to go through large-scale trials.The government-backed vaccine has been developed by Bharat Biotech, a 24-year-old vaccine maker, which has a portfolio of 16 vaccines and exports to 123 countries.

DCGI, drug controller general of India, says the vaccine has been approved for "restricted use in emergency situation in public interest as an abundant precaution, in clinical trial mode, especially in the context of infection by mutant strains".

This vaccine was based on an inactivated form of coronavirus - a reliable and time-tested platform. Studies on monkeys and hamsters had shown that Covaxin provided ample protection against the infection.

The Vaccine market