Coronavirus vaccine war has reached its final stages. Oxford-AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech and Russian Sputnik are in final trail stages in developing the vaccine.
Any of these three hits the market in next four months. It is very proud that India’s Serum Institute will produce millions of doses for all these vaccines. It is the question which vaccine is apt for Indian conditions. As AstraZeneca vaccine winds up trials in the country, India has begun planning for public vaccination. Its Brazil trials show that it is the most effective when diagnosed with half dose followed by 1 full dose after one month.
Serum Institute is sought for clearance from Indian Medical authorities for emergency approvals. Vaccination for whole population is expected to take some more months. Government is in preparations to provide infrastructure facilities for storage and transportation of the vaccine before it go for universal distribution of the vaccine. It is just 70% of overall efficacy of the vaccine by Oxford-AstraZeneca when compared to 95% efficacy by developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. It is must to be stored and transported at negative 20-80 degrees Celsius for Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.
But as per Indian climatic conditions, AstraZeneca vaccine can be transported under normal refrigerated temperatures of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is markedly cheaper and is expected cost at about $2.5 per one dose. In contrast, Pfizer’s vaccine costs about $20 a dose, while Moderna’s is upwards of $25. Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is being produced in India, could reach to be first to Indian people. Though the vaccine is less % of efficacy compared to Moderna and Pfizer, Oxford-AstraZeneca is very much suitable for Indian population.
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