New Delhi: Prime time debates Tuesday were focused on the Covid-19 vaccines and their expected rollout on 13 January. While the two vaccines — Covishield and Covaxin — have received approval from the government, the latter vaccine has been the subject of much criticism. Developed by Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research, Covaxin has neither released efficacy data nor has it completed Phase 3 trials.
On India Today, Shiv Aroor took issue with opposition parties criticising the vaccine.
“There have been doctors and experts who have demanded more data, who have constructive criticism about vaccine approvals and have demanded more information to support reasons why these approvals have been given in this manner,” said Aroor.
He added: “However, there are certain opposition leaders who made it about trying to embarrass PM Modi personally saying Modi should take the first shot.”
Aroor said the Opposition made it about “personal point scoring than constructive opposition accountability”.
Sanjay Jha, political analyst and former Congress member, said, “Congress’ obsession with Narendra Modi is reaching a pathological level. I think we need to be cognisant of the reality.”
“Modi government has a humongous responsibility. We need to back the government, this is not the time for us to be cynical about everything,” Jha said.
Republic Bharat questioned the intentions of various opposition parties who challenged Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin vaccine. Anchor Sucherita Kukreti asked if Congress leaders were playing scientists while questioning the efficacy of the vaccine.
Samajwadi Party leader Atul Saxena said, “We are doubtful of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.” He suggested that people should not rush towards Covaxin as potent data still remains missing.
However, Delhi University’s Professor Avanijesh Awasthi called the Covaxin “nothing less than a gift to humanity.”
Kukreti noted, “Opposition parties are not criticising the vaccine, they are trying to criticise Modi’s decision here.”
To this, Saxena highlighted that even though Indians should be proud of Bharat Biotech’s discovery, they should also be critical of it.
On Aaj Tak, Anjana Om Kashyap discussed the two vaccines with various experts. AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said that we should trust the expert committees that have recommended the vaccines and move forward, as it is the only way to defeat the pandemic.
“We do not have any antiviral drug against the coronavirus, vaccine is our only hope. We should be proactive in rolling out the vaccine as soon as possible and should not get into controversies”, he added.
Chairman of Medanta group, Naresh Trehan, said that both the vaccines’ efficacy and safety had been established through trials and that it will be administered to frontline health workers on voluntary basis.
“Serum Institute is world’s largest vaccine manufacturer whose reputation also counts. If the risk-benefit ratio is considered for the frontline health workers, the vaccine will be beneficial for them,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Times Now anchor Rahul Shivshankar questioned whether removing the word ‘halal’ from the ‘Red Meat Manual’ of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), is a move to further saffronise meat trade in the country.
Dr. M.J. Khan, APEDA Board Member, clarified this decision: “Removing the word ‘Halal’ from the ‘Red Meat Manual’ does not mean saffronisation.” He added that there was no binding effect of such an arrangement on the importing country and the exporter.
Islamic scholar Atiq Ur Rehman, however, was of the view that consuming non-halal meat caused the Covid-19 outbreak in China: “We should look at the health factor also whether some studies have been done or not.”
Pravin, member of the Christian group Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action, said, “There is no saffron agenda behind this move”. Although, he added, that halal food is restricted to some Christians and impedes their right to consume a variety of other food.
With inputs from Saumya Sharma