Context:
Recently, a new study by scientists found that the Covishield vaccine shows more robust immune responses compared to Covaxin
Covishield and Covaxin:
- 2 homegrown COVID-19 vaccines which are widely used in India
- Vaccines made using inactive/modified versions of the virus
- Each vaccine’s utility or efficiency is determined by its formulation, adjuvants, and mode of action.
- The efficacy of the vaccination depends on numeral properties like generation antibodies, memory cells, and cell-mediated immunity.
Covishield vs. Covaxin:
| Covishield | Covaxin |
| Manufactured by – Pune-based Serum Institute of India | Fully made, developed and produced in India |
| A viral vector vaccine | A traditionally made vaccine |
| Uses an adenovirus found in Chimpanzees | Uses an inactive viral strain |
| Deliver spike proteins and mount a tolerable immune response in response to a live virus | Makes use of a dead virus that drafts an immune response |
| Effectiveness of nearly 90% | Effectiveness of nearly 80% |
| Exhibited a near-complete immune response in the majority of participants | Exhibited variable response, particularly among those inoculated before the emergence of the omicron variant |
| Elicited a higher number of T cells | Elicited a lower number of T cells compared to covishield |
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Previous Year Question
In the context of vaccines manufactured to prevent COVID-19 pandemic, consider the following statements:
1. The Serum Institute of India produced COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield using mRNA platform.
2. Sputnik V vaccine is manufactured using vector based platform.
3. COVAXIN is an inactivated pathogen based vaccine.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2022 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
Statement 1 is not correct:
The Serum Institute of India produced a COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield but not using mRNA platform. It has been prepared using the viral vector platform using a chimpanzee adenovirus.
