WHO nod for Covaxin is expected this week: Report

New Delhi, Sep 13: World Health Organisation (WHO) nod for Bharat Biotech's COVID19 vaccine, Covaxin is expected this week, news agency ANI reported quoting sources.

"The WHO approval for Covaxin is likely this month," an official source told PTI. The Centre had told Rajya Sabha in July that all documents required for the WHO's Emergency Use Listing (EUL) have been submitted by Bharat Biotech as of July 9, and the global health body had commenced the review process.

"Within this week we should be able to get WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) for Covaxin...Hopefully, the vaccine should be given international recognition so that people travelling abroad have less difficulty," said Dr NK Arora, Chairman, COVID working group.

The indigenous vaccine 'Covaxin' is manufactured by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The drug regulator in the country has given Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) to Moderna and Johnson and Johnson.

WHO's Emergency Use Listing (EUL) is a prerequisite for COVAX Facility vaccine supply to other countries. The EUL assesses the quality, safety, and efficacy of covid-19 vaccines, as well as risk management plans and programmatic suitability, such as cold chain requirements.

Unvaccinated travelers can travel with negative RT-PCR tests prior to travel, in the absence of any other country specific travel restrictions.