The distribution of the Covid-19 vaccines with India in collaboration with major global institutions has “saved the world” from the deadly coronavirus and the country’s contribution should not be underestimated, a key figure American science has stated.
He said India is known as the world’s pharmacy during the Covid-19 pandemic with its vast and deep knowledge in medicine. The country is one of the largest drug dealers in the world and more and more countries have turned to it to get coronavirus vaccines, he went on.
Dr. Peter Hotez, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) in Houston, said during a recent webinar that both mRNA vaccines may not affect low- and middle-income countries in the world, but Indian vaccines, manufactured in collaboration with universities around the world such as BCM and Oxford University, have ‘saved the world’ and its contribution should not be underestimated .
During the webinar, ‘Covid-19: Vaccination and Return to Normalcy – If and When, Dr. Hotez, an internationally recognized physicist in tropical diseases and vaccine development, said, that the Covid-19 vaccine distribution is a gift from India. to the world in the fight against the virus.
Covishield, issued by the Pune-based India Serum Institute with the approval of the British pharma company AstraZeneca, and Covaxin, has been granted an emergency use license by the Indian drug regulator. part with Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and Indian Council Medical Research scientists.
The webinar was organized by the Greater Houston American Indo Chamber of Commerce (IACCGH).
“This is something very special and I see it for myself because I have had weekly conferences with our colleagues in India, you make a recommendation, and within days it is it is done and not only done, but it is well done and with intense discipline and thoughtfulness and creativity, “said Dr. Hotez, confirming that he felt compelled to make this statement to do as “India’s great efforts in fighting global pandemic are a story that is not getting out on the world. “
Dr. Hotez, regarded as the authority on vaccines, is working on affordable coronavirus vaccine in collaboration with Indian pharmaceutical companies.
There is growing evidence that vaccines not only “prevent symptomatic illness and keep you out of hospital” but also prevent asymptomatic transmission, Hotez said.
However, the troubling news is that the vaccines work well against the UK B.1.1.7 variant, which is now accelerating across the US, but is not working as well against the variant. coming out of South Africa.
It seems that all vaccines need to be immunized for two reasons: the stability of protection for the vaccines is not known and to create an additional immune response that is better suited to the African variety. South.
The Consul General of India in Houston, Aseem Mahajan, along with a distinguished panel of doctors participated in this webinar, which looked at the chances of a return to a level of regularity due to the accelerated distribution of vaccines throughout of the country.
Appreciating Dr Hotez for commending India’s efforts in obtaining vaccines for the world, Consul General Mahajan said, “in line with our tradition of sharing with the world, ”India has exported vaccines to many countries around the world.
India has dispensed 56 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines under grant aid to several countries. The vaccines were sent to Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Seychelles.
There has also been an increase in the emerging collaborative medical partnerships between the US and India during this pandemic. Moreover, India is one of the fourth largest destinations in Asia for the manufacture of medical devices and many US companies have expressed interest in cooperating on this front. , “said Mahajan.
IACCGH founding Secretary / Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia said, “India’s response to the Covid crisis, as recognized by Dr Hotez, is in line with the Chamber’s vision. Since its inception, 21 years ago, India would be the future global player in key fields such as technology, medicine, manufacturing and international trade. This belief has been proven time and time again especially in the last decade. “
Chamber President Tarush Anand stressed that India has risen to this global challenge by leveraging the scientific community and the broad manufacturing capabilities in the most effective way to achieve the help the world recover from a deadly pandemic.
Describing vaccines as “one of the highest scientific expressions towards the goals of humanity,” Radiation Oncology Chief Executive and moderator Dr Vivek Kavadi noted that more than 28 million people of the virus in the U.S. and that more than half a million Americans had died tragically. Life and business have been wasted but the progress of vaccinations has been one reason for cautious optimism.
More than 73 million vaccine doses have been given so far, 15 percent of the population has received 1 dose and 7 percent have received both doses, Dr. Kavadi said.