Covid-19 vaccination may start in January 2021, expect normal life by October: Adar Poonawalla

Serum Institute is testing and manufacturing Oxford-Astrazeneca's Covid-19 vaccine candidate branded Covishield

Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla said that India's Covid-19 vaccination drive would begin in January 2021 and normal life can be expected to return by October 2021 after everyone is vaccinated. His firm that is manufacturing Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine candidates Covidshield, is expecting to receive emergency use authorisation by end of December 2020.

Speaking at The Economic Times Global Business Summit, Poonawalla said, "By this month-end, we might get an emergency licence for the coronavirus vaccine, but the actual licence for wider use might come in at a later date. But we are confident that if the regulators give a nod, India’s vaccination drive can start by January 2021."

Also Read | Covid-19 vaccine: What is Emergency Use Authorisation?

“Once 20% of India gets the coronavirus vaccine, we can hopefully see the confidence and sentiments coming back, and by September-October next year hopefully there will be enough vaccines for everyone and normal life can return,” Poonawalla added.

Last week, the Subject Expert Committee (SEC), a panel of experts on vaccines, asked the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech for more late-stage safety and efficacy data from their ongoing clinical trials. The panel is going through applications by three firms for emergency use authorisation of their Covid-19 vaccine candidates in India.

The SEC specifically asked SII for immunogenicity data from its UK clinical trials and India, and the outcome of the assessment made by the UK regulatory authority regarding its emergency use authorisation application.

Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine shows 70 per cent efficacy against symptomatic Covid-19. It has efficacy of 62 per cent for trial subjects given two full doses, and 90 per cent efficacy in those given a half, and then a full dose.