Covid-19: Brazil scraps request for Covaxin use

Beneficiaries receive Covid-19 shot, at a vaccination centre, in Prayagraj, UP, on Tuesday. Pic/PTI

After suspending the proposed clinical trials of Bharat Biotech's Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin, Brazil has now scrapped the firm's Emergency Use Authorisation request. Anvisa, the National Health Surveillance Agency of Brazil, said, "The decision was taken after Anvisa was informed by the Indian company Bharat Biotech International Limited that the company Necessidade no longer has authorisation to represent Bharat Biotech, manufacturer of the Covaxin vaccine, in Brazil."

Bharat Biotech had said on July 23 that it terminated the MoU with Precisa Medicamentos and Envixia Pharmaceuticals LLC for Covaxin for Brazilian market. The termination of the MoU came after the deal with the Brazilian government for supply of 20 million doses of Covaxin landed in controversy and attracted investigation by authorities in that country. The Brazilian government had earlier temporarily suspended Covaxin's order following the graft allegations and subsequent inquiry by the authorities.

Meanwhile, the Centre on Tuesday said Covishield gives 93 per cent protection against Covid-19 and a 98 per cent mortality reduction, based on a study by the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) during the second Covid-19 wave that was driven by the Delta variant.

The Brazilian government had earlier temporarily suspended Covaxin's order following the graft allegations. File pic/AFP

NITI Aayog Member (Health) Dr V K Paul presented findings of the study conducted on 15 lakh doctors and frontline workers. "Protection to the extent of 93 per cent was seen (in people who were administered the Covishield vaccine) and this was during the second wave which was driven by the Delta variant... also 98 per cent mortality reduction was seen.

The Centre on Tuesday dismissed media reports that claimed that India will miss the end-July target of administering 50 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses as "ill-informed and misrepresenting". "Availability of 51.60 crore doses till end of a particular month does not mean that every dose supplied till that month is going to be consumed/administered." A total of 45.7 crore doses have been supplied to states and UTs till date and an additional 6.03 crore doses are expected to be supplied by July 31, taking the total to 51.73 crore doses," it added.

A medic inoculates a homeless man at Vashi. File pic/AFP

SC: Won't take elitist view of banning beggars from streets

The Supreme Court said it won't take an "elitist view" of not allowing beggars on the streets, while hearing a plea on Tuesday. A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah said it would not consider one part of the prayer which sought direction to the authorities to restrain beggars, vagabonds and homeless persons from begging at public places or traffic junctions. But it agreed to issue notices to the Centre and the Delhi government seeking their responses on the prayer for rehabilitation, vaccination and providing food and shelters to beggars and vagabonds amid the pandemic. "This is a socio-economic problem of poverty. The idea is to rehabilitate them, give them and their children education," it said, adding that such people have no choice and nobody wants to beg.

3,14,40,951
Total no. of Coronavirus cases in India so far

4,21,382
Total no. of deaths due to the virus in India so far

3,98,100
Total no. of active cases in India

23 July
Day Bharat Biotech terminated MoU with its Brazil partners for its Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin

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