Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine Approved for Emergency Use in UK, All Eyes on India Next
30-December-2020

Britain on Wednesday became the first country in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca as it battles a major winter surge driven by a new, highly contagious variant of the virus. "The government has today accepted the recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to authorise Oxford University/AstraZeneca�s COVID-19 vaccine for use," the health ministry said.

With preparations underway in India for a possible vaccine-rollout by January, the Indian drug regulator is looking at the UK before deciding on giving emergency use authorisation to the Serum Institute that is manufacturing the shots here. Once the UK drug regulator gives its approval to the Oxford vaccine, the expert committee on COVID-19 at the CDSCO will hold its meeting and thoroughly review the safety and immunogenicity data from the clinical evaluations conducted abroad and in India before granting any emergency authorisation for the vaccine here, official sources had earlier said.

India has extended until January 7 its suspension of flights with Britain, the civil aviation minister said, as the South Asian nation reported 20 cases of a new infectious strain of coronavirus first detected in the United Kingdom. "Thereafter, strictly regulated resumption will take place for which details will be announced shortly," Hardeep Singh Puri said on Twitter, declaring the week-long extension.