India approves two Covid-19 vaccines for emergency use

A man applies finishing touches to graffiti representing a vaccine, amid the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Kolkata, India, on Jan 2, 2021.- Reuters

NEW DELHI (AFP): India on Sunday (Jan 3) authorised the emergency use of two coronavirus vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University and by local pharmaceutical firm Bharat Biotech, the country's drug regulator said, paving the way for one of the world's biggest inoculation drives.

"The... vaccines of Serum Institute (AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine) and Bharat Biotech are being approved for restricted use in emergency situations," the Drugs Controller General of India, V.G. Somani, said at a briefing.