📘 Q9. IAS Prelims 2022 — Science & Technology (COVID-19 Vaccines)
🧷 Authentic Classroom Explanation by IAS Monk
📌 The Question
Consider the following statements in the context of vaccines manufactured to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic:
- The Serum Institute of India produced a COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield using the mRNA platform.
- Sputnik V vaccine is manufactured using a vector-based platform.
- COVAXIN is an inactivated pathogen-based vaccine.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
✅ Answer
(b)
🧑🏫 Classroom Explanation
- Statement 1 is not correct:
Covishield, produced by the Serum Institute of India, is not an mRNA vaccine. It is a viral vector vaccine, developed using a replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus (ChAdOx1) platform. - Statement 2 is correct:
Sputnik V is a viral vector-based vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute, using two different adenoviruses (Ad26 and Ad5) for the first and second doses. - Statement 3 is correct:
COVAXIN, developed by Bharat Biotech, is an inactivated whole-virion vaccine, where the virus is killed and cannot replicate, but still triggers an immune response.
Hence, statements 2 and 3 are correct.
🔍 Curiosity Raiser
Why did some countries prefer inactivated vaccines over newer platforms like mRNA during the early phase of the pandemic?
📚 Enrichment Notes
- Vaccine platforms at a glance:
- mRNA: Pfizer, Moderna
- Viral Vector: Covishield, Sputnik V
- Inactivated Virus: COVAXIN, Sinovac
- Inactivated vaccines have:
- Long safety history
- Easier storage requirements
- Slightly slower immune response compared to mRNA
🪔 IAS Monk Whisper
“In public health, trust is built not only on innovation, but also on familiarity.”