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Coronavirus

India gives final approval to AstraZeneca and local COVID vaccines

Country expected to start massive immunization program within weeks

A medic fills a syringe with COVAXIN, an Indian government-backed COVID-19 vaccine. India's drugs regulator on Jan. 3 granted approval for its emergency-use, but did not release efficacy data.   © Reuters

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's drugs regulator on Sunday gave final approval for the emergency-use of two coronavirus vaccines, one developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University and the other by local company Bharat Biotech.

The world's second most populous country is now expected to start a massive immunization program within weeks, with the AstraZeneca/Oxford shot taking the lead and Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN administered under stricter conditions given no efficacy data has been released for it.

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