The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced it has granted emergency approval to the India-manufactured coronavirus vaccine Covovax.

The jab, produced by Serum Institute of India under licence from the US-based Novavax, will now be distributed as part of global vaccine-sharing system Covax, “giving a much-needed boost to ongoing efforts to vaccinate more people in lower-income countries”, WHO said in a statement.

“Even with new variants emerging, vaccines remain one of the most effective tools to protect people against serious illness and death from SARS-COV-2,” said Mariangela Simao, the WHO's access to vaccines chief.

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