The Expert Panel of WHO has recommended the use of the AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine Vaccine.
Oxford University and AstraZeneca’s COVID Vaccine (COVID-19 Vaccine) may soon receive emergency use approval from the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO expert panel, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE), has recommended the use of the vaccine. The panel has recommended the use of the vaccine in people of all ages. The recommendation regarding the vaccine comes at a time when questions have arisen about the vaccine in South Africa.
The panel has said in its recommendation that the vaccine should be given in two doses, and there should be a difference of between 8 and 12 weeks.
According to The Guardian ‘s report, the executive secretary of the WHO Sage stated that the vaccine’s efficacy increases when the second dose is given a short time later.
SAGE Chief Alejandro Cravotto acknowledged that there was a lack of data on the vaccine’s efficacy for people over 65 years of age, causing many countries to refuse its use in elderly people. Kravoto said that the vaccine can be used in people 18 years and older.
The UN-backed Covax scheme may gain momentum after the AstraZeneca vaccine is approved by the WHO. Under this scheme, the WHO is delivering covid vaccine to low income countries. In this case, the vaccine of AstraZeneca is said to be important because it can be stored at a temperature of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius.
Vaccine was banned in South Africa
Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine is currently banned in South Africa. Researchers had found that this vaccine provides ‘minimum protection’ against new variants.
The Johannesburg-based University of Witwatersrand said in a statement on 7 February that the AstraZeneca vaccine “provides minimal protection against mild-moderate COVID-19 infection” from the South African variant.
Questions have also been raised in some European countries regarding the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Many countries, including France, Germany, have decided not to give AstraZeneca vaccine to people above 65 years.
The vaccines of Oxford University and British-Swedish pharma company AstraZeneca are being manufactured at the Serum Institute of India in Pune, India. This vaccine has been approved to use emergency in India.
