Class Test II

Media Skills: Twitter Reports

Marks: 15 Marks

Duration: 1 hour

Instructions: Please send in your submissions by email. Subject line should read:
YOURNAME_Twitter Reports Class Test II.

Attach a screenshot of the tweet deck. Preserve the deck, you might be asked at a later point in time
to share your screen and explain it.

(Include your Twitter handle in the email. It will be used to verify the deck/dashboard you create.)

TASK: Bharat Biotech has applied for Emergency Use Listing of Covaxin to the World Health
Organisation. WHO's technical advisory group met on Tuesday to decide on the matter. Create a
tweet deck to track the developments and reactions on the subject (5 marks). Pull out five tweets
that are relevant (5 marks) and write a small news report (250-300 words, 5 marks) that updates
readers on what is the latest on the issue.

The technical advisory group of World Health Organisation on Tuesday asked BharatBiotech to
provide more evidence and additional clarifications for its COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, in addition to
that asked its makers to conduct a final “risk-benefit assessment” for Emergency use approval of the
vaccine.

Prior to this there were positive speculations on the decision of the Emergency approval of Covaxin
in 24 hours as reported by ANI, after a while WHO official Dr.Margaret Harris said if the committee is
satisfied after reviewing the data earlier on Tuesday there is potential for approval. Later, there were
reports of the technical advisory group directing BharatBiotech to conduct a final EUL risk-benefit
assessment for the global use and approval of their vaccine. The final assessment on the vaccine’s
approval will be proceeded on Wednesday, 3rd November.

Twitterati reacted with agony questioning the credibility of WHO as some said ‘Additional
clarification required’ is often used by WHO to dismiss issues, and some questioned WHO about
ignoring the fact that after the vaccine being administered to 10+ crore people, the approval holds a
huge impact on people’s lives. Few people questioned the absence of Indian government on the
issue as this decision has held a brake on travel plans of million. However, the fate of the vaccine is
in the hands of WHO, the assessment will be now on 3 rd November.