Did You Know That the Covid-19 Vaccine Used in India is Made From Chimpanzee Poop?

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has confirmed that seven people have died from unusual blood clots after getting the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. This Covid-19 vaccine, which is also used in India, is actually made from chimpanzee poop. Here's how the vaccine is made.

Covishield, the local version of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, is one of the two vaccines approved by the Drugs Controller General of India for emergency use. Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) is manufacturing the vaccine in collaboration with the University of Oxford and British-Swedish multinational company AstraZeneca. But did you know that the vaccine is made from an adenovirus isolated from chimpanzee poop? Yes, you heard it right, the vaccine contains a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus) that causes infections in chimpanzees. After the adenovirus is isolated from the chimpanzee poop, it is then genetically altered, making it impossible to replicate in humans. The virus contains the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein that helps the novel coronavirus to enter human cells. The spike protein is the target for most potential vaccines and treatments.

After the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is injected, it instructs our cells to make a harmless piece of spike protein, priming the immune system to attack the SARS-CoV-2 virus when it infects the body. Studies have shown that the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, earlier known as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 or AZD1222, can offer strong protection against coronavirus, with an overall efficacy of 79 percent. More than 70 countries across six continents have granted emergency use of the vaccine in people aged 18 years and older to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine linked to blood clots

Meanwhile, some European countries have halted the use of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine after reports of people developing blood clots after receiving the vaccination. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has also confirmed in an email to the BBC, that seven people have died from unusual blood clots after getting the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in the UK.

The data released by the medicines regulator last week showed that 30 people out of 18 million vaccinated by 24 March had these clots. There were 22 cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), a type of blood clot in the brain, it said. However, it is still not clear if these unusual blood clots area genuine side effect of the vaccine and investigations are underway to find it out. Despite possible link to rare blood clots, the MHRA says the benefits of the vaccine in preventing Covid-19 infection and its complications continue to outweigh any risks, asking people to get their vaccine when invited to do so. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Medicines Agency say the same.

With inputs from agencies