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The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday approved Bharat Biotech&#39;s COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, for emergency use which will now make it easier for Indians to travel abroad as many countries recognise only WHO cleared vaccines.</p>
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&quot;The Technical Advisory Group has determined that the Covaxin vaccine meets WHO standards for protection against COVID-19, that the benefit of the vaccine far outweighs risks and the vaccine can be used,&quot; WHO said in a tweet.</p>
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Covaxin was also reviewed by WHO&#39;s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, which recommended its use in two doses, with an interval of four weeks, in all age groups 18 and above.</p>
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The approval will also pave the way for export of the vaccine to poor countries as it is affordable and does not require deep-freeze infrastructure for storage like the US-made Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.&nbsp;</p>
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<strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http:// https://www.indianarrative.com/health-news/zydus-cadila-s-india-made-dose-covid-vaccine-approved-for-use-by-expert-panel-109238.html">Zydus Cadila&rsquo;s India-made 3-dose Covid vaccine approved for use by expert panel</a></p>
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The WHO&#39;s advisory group was expected to make a decision on the shot last week, but asked for additional clarifications from Bharat Biotech before conducting a final risk-benefit assessment for the vaccine&#39;s global use.</p>
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Covaxin is the seventh vaccine that has been approved by the WHO after two mRNA shots by Pfizer and Moderna, adenovirus vector vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Johnson &amp; Johnson and China&#39;s inactivated vaccines from Sinovac Biotech and Sinopharm.</p>
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also mentioned the need to expeditiously clear the India-made vaccine for emergency use, in his speech at the G20 summit in Rome, as the delay was posing a hindrance.&nbsp;</p>
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The approval comes as a major relief as it will now be accepted as a valid vaccine for millions of Indians who have received it and want to travel abroad. Earlier they had to go through cumbersome quarantine procedures despite being fully vaccinated.</p>
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Oman and Australia, however, were among the countries that had already started recognising Covaxin as a valid vaccine for travellers.</p>
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