UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 66
In the context of vaccines manufactured to prevent COVID-19 pandemic, consider the following statements:
- The Serum Institute of India produced COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield using mRNA platform.
- Sputnik V vaccine is manufactured using vector based platform.
- COVAXIN is an inactivated pathogen based vaccine.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Correct Option: B (2 and 3 only)
Explanation: Covishield is a viral-vector vaccine, Sputnik V uses adenoviral vectors, and Covaxin uses inactivated SARS-CoV-2.
Statement / Pair / Item-wise Analysis:
1. False / does not qualify - Serum Institute’s Covishield is the Oxford–AstraZeneca chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored vaccine, not mRNA.
2. True / qualifies - Sputnik V uses recombinant adenovirus vectors (rAd26/rAd5).
3. True / qualifies - Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN uses chemically inactivated whole SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Option-wise Analysis:
A. Incorrect-includes 1 even though Serum Institute’s Covishield is the Oxford–AstraZeneca chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored vaccine, not mRNA.; omits 3 even though Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN uses chemically inactivated whole SARS-CoV-2 virus.
B. Correct-selects exactly the correct statements/items identified above.
C. Incorrect-includes 1 even though Serum Institute’s Covishield is the Oxford–AstraZeneca chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored vaccine, not mRNA.; omits 2 even though Sputnik V uses recombinant adenovirus vectors (rAd26/rAd5).
D. Incorrect-includes 1 even though Serum Institute’s Covishield is the Oxford–AstraZeneca chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored vaccine, not mRNA.