New Delhi: 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 coronavirus 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.
Gaurav Pandhi has also shared the screenshot of the RTI reply on Twitter. Through a video message, he has accused the BJP government at the Center of hurting the sentiments of the people. Pandhi said that the government has accepted that Bharat Biotech’s vaccine contains the serum of a cow’s calf. It’s too bad. This information should have been given to the people earlier.
The RTI states that calf serum is used for the revival process of viro cells.
The claim was also made in the research paper
Earlier it was also claimed in a research paper that the serum of newborn animal’s blood is used to make Covaxin. It is not being used in a vaccine for the first time. It is an essential part of all biological research.
Such a rumor had flown in two districts of Haryana
Let us tell you that recently in the Palwal district of Haryana, about 50 to 60 local people wrote a letter to the administration. In which he claimed that cow’s blood and meat have been used in the corona vaccine. In such a situation, they do not want to take part in the vaccination. At the same time, people in the Nuh district are talking about the use of pork fat. Despite doctors calling it baseless, the vaccination campaign has been affected in some places.
Does the vaccine also contain pork fat?
According to a BBC report, the corona vaccine from Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca does not contain pork fat or any other animal products. The British Islamic Medical Association says it contains a small amount of alcohol – no more than the amount used in bread.
