India has got praises from the likes of Bill Gates for its covid vaccine manufacturing capability. Even as the news is awesome, Covaxin has been mired in controversy. Critics have lashed out that the vaccine has been given approval before the results of the third phase of clinical trials are out. Covaxin is a Bharat Biotech product. On the other hand, Covishied has got approval after efficacy and safety data were available before regulators.

Which of these two vaccines is better? We have to go by expert views and not by the empty rants of activists. And, so far, at least one major expert has given his verdict. Jacob John, one of India's foremost virologists, has said in an interview that he would prefer to take Covaxin rather than Covishied.

Why Covaxin? As per him, the vaccine was administered to more than 11,500 people in Phase 2 of clinical trials. And the vaccine has been proven to be safe. Efficacy data is awaited.

What about Covishied? It has been developed by scientists at Oxford University in association with AstraZeneca. Its efficacy rate is said to be 70%. It's said to be as safe as Covaxin if VG Somani, the chief of DCGI, is anything to go by. However, as per Jacob John, there are one or two instances of those who have taken the vaccine developing neurological side-effects. Whether it is linked to the vaccine is yet to be established.