In a notable development, Bharat Biotech has informed that people on medicines that affect their immune system should not take its vaccine for the coronavirus, Covaxin.
Even though this comes as a piece of precautionary advice, several reports have arisen where people have reportedly felt ill after taking the vaccine, even though nothing serious has been reported as of now. This led to Bharat Biotech informing that people with bleeding disorders or on blood thinners should avoid taking the shot for now.
Meanwhile, earlier, the Centre in its detailed guidelines on the COVID-19 vaccination process had said that patients who are on immuno-suppressants (cancer patients on chemotherapy, HIV positive and those on steroids) or suffering from the immune deficiency may get vaccinated. However, the ministry suggested that acutely unwell people or those already struggling with the coronavirus or have been administered plasma should delay their vaccination by 4-8 weeks.
The SARS-CoV-2 strain was earlier isolated at National Institute of Virology (Pune), an institute under the ICMR, and was transferred to Bharat Biotech. The company has a biosafety level-3 plant in the city of Hyderabad. These type of plants are conducive for work involving microbes, which could cause serious and potentially lethal diseases, through the inhalation route.
Moreover, the Centre informed that both the companies, Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) and Serum Institute of India (SII), who have manufactured the coronavirus vaccine, will be liable to pay damages. Significantly, the CEO of Serum Institute, Adar Poonawalla, said that the companies making the vaccine should get compensation from the government in all legal matters.