In the context of vaccines manufactured to prevent COVID-19 pandemic, consider the following statements : 1. The Serum Institute of India produced COVID-19

1. A. 1 and 2 only
2. B. 2 and 3 only
3. C. 1 and 3 only
4. D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: B

Explanation

Covishield and Covaxin were the first vaccines permitted to be administered to people in India in the first half of 2021. Sputnik came weeks later. Covishield: It is not an mRNA-based vaccine. Covishield (produced by Serum Institute of India) is a recombinant, replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus vector encoding the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) glycoprotein. Following administration, the genetic material of part of corona virus is expressed which stimulates an immune response. Hence statement 1 is not correct. By using elimination technique, one can reach option (b). Hence option (b) is the correct answer. Covaxin: It is an indigenous, inactivated pathgen type vaccine developed and manufactured in Bharat Biotech’s BSL-3 (Bio-Safety Level 3) high containment facility. The vaccine is developed using Whole-Virion Inactivated Vero Cell derived platform technology. Hence statement 3 is correct. Sputnik V: It is an adenovirus viral vector vaccine for COVID-19 developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Russia. It is the world’s first registered combination vector vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19, having been registered on 11 August 2020 by the Russian Ministry of Health. Hence statement 2 is correct.