NEW DELHI – India authorized two COVID-19 vaccines on Sunday, paving the way for a huge inoculation program to stem the coronavirus pandemic in the world’s second most populous country.
India’s drugs regulator gave an emergency authorization for the vaccines developed by Oxford University and UK-based drugmaker AstraZeneca and another developed by the Indian company Bharat Biotech.
Drugs Controller General Dr. Venugopal Somani said both vaccines will be administered in two dosages.
The decision to approve the vaccines was taken after “careful examination” by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, India’s pharmaceutical regulator, Somani said.
The country’s initial immunization plan aims to vaccinate 300 million people – health care workers, front-line staff including police and those considered vulnerable due to their age or other diseases – by August 2021. (AP)
