Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine for COVID-19 gets approval for emergency use in India, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted Saturday.
“India expands its vaccine basket! Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is given approval for Emergency Use in India. Now India has 5 EUA vaccines. This will further boost our nation’s collective fight against COVID-19,” he wrote.
US drugmaker J&J had applied for emergency use approval of its single-dose vaccine in India on August 5, as per reports, calling it an “important milestone.” The supply of the vaccine in India will be in collaboration with Hyderabad-based biotech company Biological E Limited, which specialises in vaccine production.
India expands its vaccine basket!
Johnson and Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine is given approval for Emergency Use in India.
Now India has 5 EUA vaccines.
This will further boost our nation's collective fight against #COVID19
— Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) August 7, 2021
Johnson & Johnson’s Vaccine For COVID-19: What To Know
A statement from the company further noted that phase three trials of its single-dose vaccine showed it had an efficacy of 85 percent in preventing severe effects of the virus and that the vaccine’s protective benefits kicked into place 28 days after the jab was administered. Here’s more on how COVID-19 vaccines work.
In data published July 1, J&J noted their single-shot vaccine “generated strong, persistent activity” against the Delta and other COVID-19 variants, with the immune response lasting eight months. Additionally, a “particularly robust, durable cellular immune response” was observed, the pharma giant claimed.
As per latest data from the centre, India has crossed the 50 crore mark of vaccine doses administered to its adult population. Active caseload in the country stands at 4,12,153, as on August 7.