With the growing fear for Covid BF.7 variant, The government of India on Friday ,December 22 approved the use of Nasal vaccine of Covid-19 which will be used as a heterologous booster. According to reports the India-made nasal vaccine will be included as a booster dose for those above 18 years of age and is expected to be added to the Co-Win portal today evening.
According to Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya , Bharat Biotech nasal vaccine has been approved as a booster dose and the intranasal Covid vaccine will be available in private centres and will be introduced on CoWIN on Friday evening.
Earlier as reported by India Today , it said that Bharat Biotech’s nasal Covid is slated to be introduced as a booster dose in the country soon. Paving way for more options for third or precautionary doses in India, Bharat Biotech, which is the manufacturer of Covaxin, will roll out its nasal vaccine as a booster dose.
Bharat biotech’s two drop nasal vaccine will be India’s first such booster dose. On September 6, it was announcedAmid Covid BF.7 fear ,India Starts Nasal Vaccine today by the vaccine maker that the intranasal vaccine, BBV154, had received approval from Drugs Controller General of India for restricted use in an emergency situation for those above 18 .
The CoWin portal includes Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, Serum Institute’s Covishield and Covovax, Russian Sputink V and Biological E Ltd’s Corbevax currently.
The vaccine has been recognized by the Ministry of Science as the ‘World’s first intra-nasal vaccine for COVID developed by India’.
Citizens above the age of 18 are eligible for the booster shot. Those who have been immunized with Covishield and Covaxin can take it as a heterologous booster dose. The vaccine will be available at private centres.
Economic Times reported that as per Bharat Biotech, the intranasal vaccine has several advantages because the nasal route has excellent potential for vaccination .
