After various media reports surfaced, questioning the efficacy and implications of Covaxin, Bharat Biotech took to its Twitter handle and explicitly named media portals who have been busy peddling a false or selective narrative. The company ‘fact-checked’ those lies one by one.
Money Control in their article doubted Bharat Biotech’s ability to provide vaccine doses for 10 crore Indians in the 15-18 age group.
“Is Bharat Biotech, despite its global recognition by the WHO and the sincere backing of the government of India under its aatmanirbhar (national self-reliant) package capable of meeting such a massive demand?,” the report stated.
Bharat Biotech in their fact sheet mentioned that they have provided crores of doses in the last 11 months of the vaccination campaign and the vaccination drive for the 15-18 age group will also be carried out through several months.
The article had further claimed that Bharat Biotech is one of the few companies that has experience of trials in the ’18 odd’ age group. However, it must be noted that Bharat Biotech was granted permission to conduct the Phase 2/3 clinical trial of Covaxin in the age group of 2 to 18 years back in May 2021 and not just ‘18 odd age group.’
Bharat biotech also called out Times of India, that also made wile speculations that private hospitals in Bengaluru have over 5.5 lakh doses of Covaxin that are ‘expired’.
The similar claims were made by Deccan Herald also which posed questions on “shelf life of the Covaxin doses”
It must be noted that the data provided by Bharat Biotech states that current number of ‘expired’ doses stands at less than 1 lakh. Additionally, Bharat Biotech clarified that the extension of shelf life for vaccine has been granted by Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation(CDSCO) in a very transparent manner and data on shelf life has been submitted to it.
The Wire was no different. Its article insinuates that a “virologist said currently there is currently no data available on the immune response generated by Covaxin.”
However, Bharat biotech has been publishing data from time to time and data on the immune response generated by Covaxin has been published in several reputed international peer-reviewed journals including The Lancet.
These articles clearly informs how certain section in India are still not finding it easy to come to terms with the exceptionally well vaccination program and are always ready to dispel concocted report and rumours.
Meanwhile, Bharat Biotech requested the media organisations to be responsible in their reportage, adding that they will continue to ‘fact-check’ the false claims in future also.
