Zydus Cadila’s Covid vaccine to be administered only to adults as of now


PTI, Nov 15, 2021, 8:17 AM IST

Zydus Cadila’s Covid-19 vaccine ZyCov-D, which has been cleared by India’s drug regulator for those aged 12 years and above, will only be administered to adults as of now under the government’s national coronavirus vaccination programme, sources said on Sunday.

The health ministry has given a go ahead to initiate the preparatory work for the inclusion of the indigenously-developed, needle-free jab in the national Covid inoculation drive and it can be introduced in the programme anytime soon.

The ministry has already placed a purchase order with the Ahmedabad-based firm for one crore doses of the vaccine.

“ZyCov-D, which has been cleared by India’s drug regulator for those aged 12 years and above, will be given only to adults as of now under the national Covid vaccination drive,” an official source said.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said the government does not want to make haste about administering Covid vaccines to children and any decision in this regard will be taken based on expert opinion.

He said children are not being inoculated against Covid-19 on a large scale anywhere in the world, though it has been initiated in some countries in a limited manner.

“About vaccinating the children, we will take a decision based on expert opinion. We have decided to think and evaluate before going ahead with vaccinating children as they are the future of our country and we need to tread with caution in this matter,” Mandaviya had said.

Meanwhile, a comprehensive programme for paediatric immunisation, including developing a priority list of comorbidities, is being worked out by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI).
a
ZyCov-D is the first Covid vaccine cleared by India’s drug regulator for inoculation of those aged 12 years and above.

As for the emergency use approval for Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin in the age group of two to 18 years by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), it is under expert opinion and evaluation, official sources said.

For administering ZyCov-D to adults, frontline workers and vaccinators will be provided a brief training for using the needle-free applicator in actual field settings.

At present, every citizen aged above 18 years is eligible for Covid vaccination.

Drug firm Zydus Cadila on November 8 said it had received an order to supply one crore doses of its Covid vaccine, ZyCoV-D, to the Indian government at Rs 265 per dose.

“Zydus Cadila has received an order to supply one crore doses of ZyCoV-D, the world’s first Plasmid DNA Vaccine, to the Government of India at Rs 265 per dose and the needle-free applicator is being offered at Rs 93 per dose, excluding GST,” the pharma firm said in a regulatory filing.

The vaccine will be administered using a needle-free applicator as opposed to the traditional syringes. The applicator is called “PharmaJet”.

PharmaJet is a needle-free applicator to ensure painless intradermal vaccine delivery, which also leads to a significant reduction in any kind of major side effects.

ZyCoV-D is the first DNA plasmid vaccine in the world for human use, developed indigenously by the company against Covid-19, Zydus Cadila said.

The three doses of ZyCoV-D are to be administered 28 days apart. The vaccine was given emergency use authorisation (EUA) by the Indian drug regulator on August 20.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

Balasore tragedy result of composite negligence of railway officials: Orissa High Court

Actress Kasthuri stokes controversy by her remarks on Telugu-speaking people in TN

Three convicted for 2016 Kollam collectorate blast case

Expect Canadian government to ensure justice, uphold rule of law: PM Modi

Lone tusker spotted on NH-166 near Karkala, disrupts traffic

Lokayukta police summon Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah for questioning in MUDA case on Wednesday

Not ‘kaun banega mukhyamantri’ contest; MVA to name CM pick after polls: Jairam Ramesh

Related Articles More

Risk of abnormal blood fat levels increased by about 30 pc during pandemic, finds study

Attention problems could be ‘middleman’ between genetic risk for, experiencing psychosis: Study

Meeting WHO’s sodium recommendations could avert deaths from heart, kidney disease: Study

Meeting WHO’s sodium recommendations could avert deaths from heart, kidney disease: Study

Study finds loss of smell linked with inflammation in 140 conditions, could be early sign of disease

MUST WATCH

Gho Pooja in Deepavali Festival

Melukote Deepavali

Ganapathi Co-operative Society Ltd

Udayavani Chinnara Banna 2024

Annapoorna Aahar | Food Places In Mysore


Latest Additions

Balasore tragedy result of composite negligence of railway officials: Orissa High Court

Actress Kasthuri stokes controversy by her remarks on Telugu-speaking people in TN

Three convicted for 2016 Kollam collectorate blast case

Expect Canadian government to ensure justice, uphold rule of law: PM Modi

Group clash in Indore after argument over bursting firecrackers: NSA slapped against 2 accused

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.