India has reportedly authorised the emergency use of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine in emergency cases as it seeks to ramp up its vaccination drive in the wake of a record-breaking surge in infections and deaths, Oyogist.com reports.
India was hit by a massive spike in coronavirus cases in April and May that pushed the healthcare system to breaking point.
Moderna’s shot is the fourth to be approved by New Delhi after Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield and Covaxin, which was developed by Indian firm Bharat Biotech, and Russia’s Sputnik V.
“I am pleased to inform that an application received from Moderna through an Indian partner of theirs, Cipla, has been granted EUA (Emergency Use Authorisation),” a member of government advisory body NITI Aayog, Vinod K. Paul, said at a health ministry briefing.
“Our efforts to invite and to have other internationally developed vaccines, specifically Pfizer and J&J (Johnson & Johnson), also continue.
”Paul added that the approval would pave the way for other foreign-made vaccines to be imported into India.
