Covaxin Calf Serum: Is Calf Serum Used in Covaxin? Government responded to Congress leader’s tweet

New Delhi, 16/6 (AO Bureau):In order to defeat Corona in the country, Free Covid-19 Vaccination is starting from June 21. Meanwhile, Congress’s National Coordinator Gaurav Pandhi has made a big claim about Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. Pandhi has shared documents found in response to an RTI, which states that cow’s calf serum is used to make Covaxin, which is less than 20 days old. However, the Center has given clarification regarding this on Wednesday.
In a statement issued by the Center, it has been said that ‘in some posts on social media regarding the composition of the vaccine, it is being said that the serum of a newborn calf has been found in it. However, facts have been presented in a distorted way.
The Health Ministry said, ‘Only the serum of the newborn calf has been used in the production and development of Vero cells. Virus culture is a technique and has been used for decades in vaccines for polio, rabies and influenza. The final finished Covaccine does not contain the serum of the newborn calf at all, nor is this serum an ingredient in the vaccine product.
After the development of Vero cells, they are thoroughly cleaned several times with water and chemicals so that they are freed from the serum of the newborn calf, the ministry said. After this, the Vero cells are infected with the corona virus so that the virus can develop. Vero cells are completely destroyed in this process. After this the developed virus is also destroyed (neutralized) and cleaned.
In fact, Congress’s National Coordinator Gaurav Pandhi told that calf serum has been used in the vaccine, this answer has been given by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) on the RTI of a person named Vikas Patni.