Covaxin Takes a Leap Forward
The phase-3 trial data for Bharat Biotech's Covaxin has been approved by the Subject Expert Committee (SEC). Under this trial, tests were conducted on 25,800 subjects with 77.8% efficacy.
Going ahead, the company is going to start conducting phase-4 trials of the vaccine to check its real-world effectiveness and to further improve its standards for safety and efficacy.
The data on India's only homegrown COVID-19 vaccine is encouraging. It will further make the vaccine eligible to receive emergency approval from WHO. It is crucial as it will allow the company to export vaccines.
Covaxin-administered Indian travellers would also be eligible for overseas travel if the WHO granted an emergency approval.
Return of Jet Airways
Cash strapped Jet Airways is cleared to fly again as the NCLT has approved its resolution plan. The Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has given a green light to the Kalrock-Jalan consortium's resolution plan for Jet Airways.
It has also directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to allot slots to the airline in 90 days. However, getting approval is one thing, but commencing operations again is a completely different ball game. New management will have to obtain security clearances and flight slots that are allotted to rival airlines.
The resolution has come at the worst possible time when the entire industry has been severely impacted due to the pandemic. Apart from that, fresh money infused is also limited.
Evaluating these facts, there doesn't seem to be any possibility of a big bang return. The new avatar of Jet is likely to be only a pale shadow of its previous self. The airline could start with 4-5 planes in the initial stage.
Slow Progress of Monsoon
Monsoon progress has come to a halt after making rapid progress and covering four-fifths of the country. As a result, the north Indian states are made to wait for a little longer for the season's first rains.
The rains are paused for now due to certain changes in meteorological conditions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has explained.
Despite this pause, India has received 37% excessive rainfall across the country. Central India has so far received 60% above-normal precipitation rainfall this season.
