Covax is the Global initiative by the World Health Organization to ensure equitable access to Covid-19 vaccine to all countries.
In the last few weeks Covax is able to sign simultaneous agreements with Global vaccine manufactures for Astra Zeneca-Oxford University Vaccine candidate and Pfizer-BioNtech Vaccine candidate. Pfizer vaccine candidate has already received WHO emergency use listing. Covax has already managed to sign a supply arrangement with Pfizer for another forty Million vaccines.
Serum Institute of India, the Pune based vaccine manufacturer in India is already in the process of supplying the first hundred Million doses of Astra Zeneca-Oxford Vaccine to Covax. The delivery of these Indian manufactured vaccines is awaiting WHO emergency use listing approval which is due in mid-February.
The Drug Controller General of India is delegated to approve the restricted use of vaccine in emergency situations.This process is followed by WHO as a safety and quality assurance measure prior to any vaccine approval before community use in emergency situations.
Following the approval processes for emergency use, Covax is well placed to deliver millions of life saving vaccine by the end of February, 2021, major advancement to ensure equitable access to vaccines all over the world.