Zydus Cadila’s Covid-19 vaccine ZyCov-D, was approved by India’s drug regulator in August for emergency use in adults and those aged 12 years and above. Now according to the sources, the vaccine will only be administered to adults as of now under the government’s national anti-coronavirus vaccination programme.
The health ministry gave green signal to initiate the preparatory work for the inclusion of ZyCov-D in the national COVID inoculation drive.
Zydus Cadila’s ZyCov-D is the first vaccine cleared by India’s drug regulator for inoculation of those aged 12 years and above.
The vaccine has to be administered in three doses in 28 days apart, with each dose comprising a shot in both arms. It is world’s first DNA-based needle-free COVID-19.
According to the reports, “The Ahmedabad based pharma company has brought down the price to Rs.358 for each dose which includes Rs.93, the cost of a disposable jet applicator, following repeated negotiations by the government.”
The Indian government is currently procuring two other vaccines – Covishield at Rs. 205 per dose and Covaxin at Rs. 215 per dose for the national COVID-19 immunisation programme. Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V are being given to only those above 18 years of age and they are two-dose regimens. According to the sources, Zydus Cadila can provide around two crore doses in November.
India registered 11,271 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, 4.9 per cent lower than on Saturday, bringing the total caseload to 3,44,37,307.