India's Wait Over, Drug Regulator Says Covid Vaccines Cleared "110% Safe"

Two vaccines for coronavirus, Oxford Institute's Covishield, which is being developed by the Pune-based Serum Institute, and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, received emergency approval from the country's drug regulator today. "We'll never approve anything if there is slightest of safety concern. The vaccines are 110 per cent safe," Drug Controller General of India VG Somani said, adding Covishield was found to be 70.42 per cent effective and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin was "safe and provides a robust immune response". Hailing the scientific community and frontline Corona warriors, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, "It would make every Indian proud that the two vaccines that have been given emergency use approval are made in India". There is no word yet on when the vaccination process will begin.