News Analysis India

Tag: COVID vaccine

  • India’s first intranasal Covid vaccine to be launched on Jan 26

    By PTI

    BHOPAL: Homegrown vaccine maker Bharat Biotech will launch its intranasal COVID-19 vaccine iNCOVACC, the first of its kind in India, on January 26, the company’s chairman and managing director Krishna Ella said here on Saturday.

    Interacting with students at the India International Science Festival in Bhopal, Ella also said that the homegrown vaccine for the lumpy skin disease in cattle, Lumpi-ProVacInd, is likely to be launched next month.

    “Our nasal vaccine will be officially launched on January 26, on Republic Day,” Ella said, participating in the ‘Face-to-Face with New Frontiers in Science’ segment of the IISF, organised at the Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT).

    In December, Bharat Biotech had announced that it would sell the intranasal vaccine for Rs 325 per shot for procurement by the government and Rs 800 per shot for private vaccination centres.

    BHOPAL: Homegrown vaccine maker Bharat Biotech will launch its intranasal COVID-19 vaccine iNCOVACC, the first of its kind in India, on January 26, the company’s chairman and managing director Krishna Ella said here on Saturday.

    Interacting with students at the India International Science Festival in Bhopal, Ella also said that the homegrown vaccine for the lumpy skin disease in cattle, Lumpi-ProVacInd, is likely to be launched next month.

    “Our nasal vaccine will be officially launched on January 26, on Republic Day,” Ella said, participating in the ‘Face-to-Face with New Frontiers in Science’ segment of the IISF, organised at the Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT).

    In December, Bharat Biotech had announced that it would sell the intranasal vaccine for Rs 325 per shot for procurement by the government and Rs 800 per shot for private vaccination centres.

  • Govt panel recommends market authorisation for Covovax jab as heterologous booster dose

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: An expert panel of the central drug regulatory authority has recommended market authorisation for Serum Institute of India’s Covid vaccine Covovax as a heterologous booster dose for adults who have been administered two doses of Covishield or Covaxin, official sources said on Thursday.

    Prakash Kumar Singh, director (government and regulatory affairs) at Serum Institute of India (SII) had recently written a letter to Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for approval of Covovax heterologous booster dose for those aged 18 years and above in view of escalating covid-19 pandemic situation in some countries, the sources said.

    “The subject expert committee (SEC) of the CDSCO on Wednesday deliberated on the issue and recommended for market authorisation of Covid jab Covovax as a heterologous booster dose for adults who have been administered two doses of Covishield or Covaxin,” an official source said.

    The DCGI had approved Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28, 2021, in the 12-17 age group on March 9, 2022 and also in children aged 7-11 years on June 28, 2022 subject to certain conditions.

    Covovax is manufactured through technology transfer from Novavax. It has been approved by the European Medicines Agency for conditional marketing authorization.

    It was granted emergency-use listing by the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 17, 2021. In August 2020, US-based vaccine maker Novavax Inc. had announced a licence agreement with SII for development and commercialization of NVX-CoV2373, its ocvid-19 vaccine candidate in India and low-and-middle-income countries.

    NEW DELHI: An expert panel of the central drug regulatory authority has recommended market authorisation for Serum Institute of India’s Covid vaccine Covovax as a heterologous booster dose for adults who have been administered two doses of Covishield or Covaxin, official sources said on Thursday.

    Prakash Kumar Singh, director (government and regulatory affairs) at Serum Institute of India (SII) had recently written a letter to Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for approval of Covovax heterologous booster dose for those aged 18 years and above in view of escalating covid-19 pandemic situation in some countries, the sources said.

    “The subject expert committee (SEC) of the CDSCO on Wednesday deliberated on the issue and recommended for market authorisation of Covid jab Covovax as a heterologous booster dose for adults who have been administered two doses of Covishield or Covaxin,” an official source said.

    The DCGI had approved Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28, 2021, in the 12-17 age group on March 9, 2022 and also in children aged 7-11 years on June 28, 2022 subject to certain conditions.

    Covovax is manufactured through technology transfer from Novavax. It has been approved by the European Medicines Agency for conditional marketing authorization.

    It was granted emergency-use listing by the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 17, 2021. In August 2020, US-based vaccine maker Novavax Inc. had announced a licence agreement with SII for development and commercialization of NVX-CoV2373, its ocvid-19 vaccine candidate in India and low-and-middle-income countries.

  • Indian vaccine works against BF.7 sub-variant: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

    By Express News Service

    New Delhi, Jan 11: Indian vaccine works against Omicron sub-variant BF.7, which is driving the Covid-19 surge in China and other East Asian countries, said Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday.

    “Our vaccine works against BF.7, which has been detected in China, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and other places,” said Mandaviya on the sidelines of a book release ‘Braving a viral storm – India’s Covid-19 vaccine story.’

    The minister, however, did not specify which Covid vaccine works against the BF.7 sub-variant.

    He said India had taken several proactive actions, including conducting Covid testing at all the Indian airports.

    Till Wednesday, over 15 lakh international passengers travelling in a total of 8,700 flights have been tested following the health ministry’s directive to conduct random testing of two per cent of international travellers, he said.

    Out of these, over 200 passengers were found to be Covid positive. “They were immediately sent to the hospital, isolated, and their samples were sent for genome sequencing. Genome sequencing found the presence of the BF.7 variant, found in China, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and other places.”

    ALSO READ | No surge in Covid cases in India despite presence of Omicron variants

    He said BF.7 – which had last year driven the Covid surge in the US and Europe – is already present in India for the previous three months. 

    In future, if there is any new Covid variant, or if the current one mutates and takes a new form, then we will be ready, and that’s why we are carrying out genome sequencing, he said. 

    “We are also alert against any new variant entering India. We are ready because of our Covid management. We are taking all precautions and keeping surveillance.” 

    The minister said that India has 200 types of Covid variants. “We are satisfied that no new type of variant is in India at the moment,” he added.

    The ministry said that despite all Omicron variants in India, no mortality or rise in the transmission had been reported.

    From January 1, passengers arriving from hotspots countries like China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand are mandatorily required to provide Covid-negative reports. It applies to those travellers who are transiting through these hot-spots countries.

    New Delhi, Jan 11: Indian vaccine works against Omicron sub-variant BF.7, which is driving the Covid-19 surge in China and other East Asian countries, said Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday.

    “Our vaccine works against BF.7, which has been detected in China, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and other places,” said Mandaviya on the sidelines of a book release ‘Braving a viral storm – India’s Covid-19 vaccine story.’

    The minister, however, did not specify which Covid vaccine works against the BF.7 sub-variant.

    He said India had taken several proactive actions, including conducting Covid testing at all the Indian airports.

    Till Wednesday, over 15 lakh international passengers travelling in a total of 8,700 flights have been tested following the health ministry’s directive to conduct random testing of two per cent of international travellers, he said.

    Out of these, over 200 passengers were found to be Covid positive. “They were immediately sent to the hospital, isolated, and their samples were sent for genome sequencing. Genome sequencing found the presence of the BF.7 variant, found in China, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and other places.”

    ALSO READ | No surge in Covid cases in India despite presence of Omicron variants

    He said BF.7 – which had last year driven the Covid surge in the US and Europe – is already present in India for the previous three months. 

    In future, if there is any new Covid variant, or if the current one mutates and takes a new form, then we will be ready, and that’s why we are carrying out genome sequencing, he said. 

    “We are also alert against any new variant entering India. We are ready because of our Covid management. We are taking all precautions and keeping surveillance.” 

    The minister said that India has 200 types of Covid variants. “We are satisfied that no new type of variant is in India at the moment,” he added.

    The ministry said that despite all Omicron variants in India, no mortality or rise in the transmission had been reported.

    From January 1, passengers arriving from hotspots countries like China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand are mandatorily required to provide Covid-negative reports. It applies to those travellers who are transiting through these hot-spots countries.

  • Govt panel recommends Corbevax as booster for adults vaccinated with Covishield, Covaxin

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A government panel on Covid immunisation has recommended allowing Biological E’s Corbevax as a precaution dose for adults fully vaccinated with either Covishield or Covaxin, official sources said on Tuesday.

    If approved by the government, this would be the first time a booster dose of a Covid vaccine different from the one used for primary vaccination would be allowed in the country.

    The COVID-19 Working Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) made the recommendation in its 48th meeting held on July 20, an official source told PTI.

    “Corbevax may be considered for a third/precaution dose six months after completion of primary series of Covaxin or Covishield vaccines for population above 18 years wherever indicated,” the recommendation stated.

    India’s first indigenously developed RBD protein subunit vaccine Corbevax is currently being used to inoculate children in the age group of 12 to 14 years under the COVID-19 Immunisation programme.

    The COVID-19 Working Group (CWG), in its July 20 meeting, reviewed data of the double-blind randomized phase-3 clinical study which evaluated the immunogenicity and safety of booster dose of Corbevax vaccine when administered to COVID-19-negative adult volunteers of age 18-80 years previously vaccinated with two doses of either Covishield or Covaxin.

    “Following the examination of the data, the CWG observed that Corbevax vaccine can induce significant increase in antibody titers when given to those who have received either Covaxin or Covishield, which is likely to be protective as per the neutralization data also,” the source said.

    The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on June 4 approved Corbevax as a precaution dose for those aged 18 and above.

    At present, the same COVID-19 vaccine which has been used for administration of first and second doses is being given as precaution dose to all aged 18 years and above.

    More than 4.13 crore precaution doses have been administered in the 18-59 age group while over 5.11 crore precaution doses have been given to those aged 60 and above and healthcare and frontline workers.

    India began administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10.

    The country began inoculating children aged 12-14 from March 16 and also removed the comorbidity clause making all people aged above 60 eligible for the precaution dose of Covid vaccine.

    India on April 10 began administering precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years.

    NEW DELHI: A government panel on Covid immunisation has recommended allowing Biological E’s Corbevax as a precaution dose for adults fully vaccinated with either Covishield or Covaxin, official sources said on Tuesday.

    If approved by the government, this would be the first time a booster dose of a Covid vaccine different from the one used for primary vaccination would be allowed in the country.

    The COVID-19 Working Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) made the recommendation in its 48th meeting held on July 20, an official source told PTI.

    “Corbevax may be considered for a third/precaution dose six months after completion of primary series of Covaxin or Covishield vaccines for population above 18 years wherever indicated,” the recommendation stated.

    India’s first indigenously developed RBD protein subunit vaccine Corbevax is currently being used to inoculate children in the age group of 12 to 14 years under the COVID-19 Immunisation programme.

    The COVID-19 Working Group (CWG), in its July 20 meeting, reviewed data of the double-blind randomized phase-3 clinical study which evaluated the immunogenicity and safety of booster dose of Corbevax vaccine when administered to COVID-19-negative adult volunteers of age 18-80 years previously vaccinated with two doses of either Covishield or Covaxin.

    “Following the examination of the data, the CWG observed that Corbevax vaccine can induce significant increase in antibody titers when given to those who have received either Covaxin or Covishield, which is likely to be protective as per the neutralization data also,” the source said.

    The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on June 4 approved Corbevax as a precaution dose for those aged 18 and above.

    At present, the same COVID-19 vaccine which has been used for administration of first and second doses is being given as precaution dose to all aged 18 years and above.

    More than 4.13 crore precaution doses have been administered in the 18-59 age group while over 5.11 crore precaution doses have been given to those aged 60 and above and healthcare and frontline workers.

    India began administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10.

    The country began inoculating children aged 12-14 from March 16 and also removed the comorbidity clause making all people aged above 60 eligible for the precaution dose of Covid vaccine.

    India on April 10 began administering precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years.

  • 30 school children vaccinated with just one syringe in Madhya Pradesh, probe ordered

    By Express News Service

    BHOPAL: A chilling case of negligence in Covid-19 vaccination of school children happened in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday.

    In flagrant violation of the established ‘one needle-one syringe-only one-time’ protocol, advisories and pledges by the central government, national and international agencies, at least 30 school children were administered Covid-19 vaccine doses with just a single syringe at a reputed school in Sagar city, a kilometre from the state capital Bhopal.

    The shocker happened at the Jain Public Higher Secondary School by male vaccinator Jitendra Rai.

    Immediately, Dinesh Namdev, one of the parents accompanying their children for vaccination, spotted the anomaly and blew the whistle. “My daughter is a Class 9 student and was among those vaccinated on Wednesday. I enquired from the man vaccinating the kids, as to how many syringes were being used by him to vaccinate the children. His reply was shocking, as he informed that, at least 40 children had been vaccinated with just one syringe. I immediately reported the matter to the school administration,” he said.

    “Who will be held responsible, if our kids develop any health complications out of this blatant single syringe usage? Will it be the school or the health department, who will take the responsibility if anything adverse happens with our kids,” he questioned.

    With the news of the shocking negligence spreading like wildfire, the officiating Sagar district collector Kshitij Singhal rushed the district’s chief medical and health officer [CMHO] Dr DK Goswami to the concerned school.

    Before the CMHO could reach the spot, the scribes quizzed Jitendra on camera, who admitted vaccinating at least 30 children with one syringe. “I vaccinated 30 children with one syringe, as just one syringe was given to me and I was asked by the department staff to vaccinate all kids with just one syringe. I knew that one syringe shouldn’t be used, but since I was told to do so, I did,” he said. He also could not recollect who from the health department had sent him and dropped him at the school for the Covid vaccination drive.

    During the primary on-the-spot inspection and probe by the CMHO, Jitendra was found missing from the school premises and his phone was also switched off. “While an FIR has been registered by the health department against Jitendra at the Gopalganj police station, a departmental probe against the district vaccination officer Dr Rakesh Roshan has been recommended to the Sagar divisional commissioner,” an official statement from the Sagar district administration stated.

    Meanwhile, the opposition Congress’s state spokesperson Abbas Hafeez demanded the state health minister Dr Prabhuram Chowdhary’s resignation over the flagrant negligence during the vaccination of children at the school. “What has happened at the school in Sagar, exposes that the state’s health apparatus is flouting all safety norms and protocols in the name of achieving targets under the Covid vaccination mega campaign to score points nationally. Just to stay ahead in national Covid vaccination statistics, the state health apparatus is treating our kids as guinea-pigs. This blatant anomaly has been spotted by one parent at the school today, but this has triggered an apprehension about similar negligence having happened elsewhere with our generation next in the state in the past,” Hafeez alleged.

    It is to be recalled that a month before the Covid-19 vaccination actually started in India, in January 2021, the union ministry for health and family welfare had reportedly pledged strict usage of the “One needle, one syringe, only one-time” protocol in COVID vaccination across the country. 

    BHOPAL: A chilling case of negligence in Covid-19 vaccination of school children happened in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday.

    In flagrant violation of the established ‘one needle-one syringe-only one-time’ protocol, advisories and pledges by the central government, national and international agencies, at least 30 school children were administered Covid-19 vaccine doses with just a single syringe at a reputed school in Sagar city, a kilometre from the state capital Bhopal.

    The shocker happened at the Jain Public Higher Secondary School by male vaccinator Jitendra Rai.

    Immediately, Dinesh Namdev, one of the parents accompanying their children for vaccination, spotted the anomaly and blew the whistle. “My daughter is a Class 9 student and was among those vaccinated on Wednesday. I enquired from the man vaccinating the kids, as to how many syringes were being used by him to vaccinate the children. His reply was shocking, as he informed that, at least 40 children had been vaccinated with just one syringe. I immediately reported the matter to the school administration,” he said.

    “Who will be held responsible, if our kids develop any health complications out of this blatant single syringe usage? Will it be the school or the health department, who will take the responsibility if anything adverse happens with our kids,” he questioned.

    With the news of the shocking negligence spreading like wildfire, the officiating Sagar district collector Kshitij Singhal rushed the district’s chief medical and health officer [CMHO] Dr DK Goswami to the concerned school.

    Before the CMHO could reach the spot, the scribes quizzed Jitendra on camera, who admitted vaccinating at least 30 children with one syringe. “I vaccinated 30 children with one syringe, as just one syringe was given to me and I was asked by the department staff to vaccinate all kids with just one syringe. I knew that one syringe shouldn’t be used, but since I was told to do so, I did,” he said. He also could not recollect who from the health department had sent him and dropped him at the school for the Covid vaccination drive.

    During the primary on-the-spot inspection and probe by the CMHO, Jitendra was found missing from the school premises and his phone was also switched off. “While an FIR has been registered by the health department against Jitendra at the Gopalganj police station, a departmental probe against the district vaccination officer Dr Rakesh Roshan has been recommended to the Sagar divisional commissioner,” an official statement from the Sagar district administration stated.

    Meanwhile, the opposition Congress’s state spokesperson Abbas Hafeez demanded the state health minister Dr Prabhuram Chowdhary’s resignation over the flagrant negligence during the vaccination of children at the school. “What has happened at the school in Sagar, exposes that the state’s health apparatus is flouting all safety norms and protocols in the name of achieving targets under the Covid vaccination mega campaign to score points nationally. Just to stay ahead in national Covid vaccination statistics, the state health apparatus is treating our kids as guinea-pigs. This blatant anomaly has been spotted by one parent at the school today, but this has triggered an apprehension about similar negligence having happened elsewhere with our generation next in the state in the past,” Hafeez alleged.

    It is to be recalled that a month before the Covid-19 vaccination actually started in India, in January 2021, the union ministry for health and family welfare had reportedly pledged strict usage of the “One needle, one syringe, only one-time” protocol in COVID vaccination across the country. 

  • India achieves milestone of administring 200-crore Covid-19 vaccine

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India achieved a major milestone in its vaccination programme against Covid-19 as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 200-crore mark on Sunday.

    According to the health ministry data, 98 per cent of the adult population has received at least one dose while 90 per cent have been fully vaccinated.

    The data showed that 82 per cent of adolescents aged 15 to 18 years have also been vaccinated with the first dose since the vaccination for this age group began on January 3 while 68 per cent have got both the first and second dose.

    Eighty one per cent of those aged 12-14 years have taken the first dose while 56 per cent are fully vaccinated.

    According to health ministry officials, 71 per cent of the vaccination has taken place in Covid vaccination centres located in rural and 29 per cent in urban areas. Also, 48.9 per cent of the total doses were administered to women while 51.5 per cent in men.

    According to the data, 0.02 per cent of total vaccine doses administered were given to ‘Others’.

    In Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Chandigarh, Telangana and Goa, 100 per cent of the 12 year plus eligible population is fully vaccinated.

    The top five states where highest number of doses have been administered are Uttar Pradesh (34,41,93,641), Maharashtra (17,05,59,447), West Bengal (14,40,33,794), Bihar (13,98,52,042) and Madhya Pradesh (12,13,15,911) till 7 am on Sunday.

    ALSO READ | India reports 49 new Covid fatalities, 20,528 cases

    A total of 5,63,67,888 precaution doses have been administered to all eligible population.

    The cumulative Covid vaccine doses administered in the country crossed the 100-crore mark on October 21 last year and 150 crore on January 7 this year.

    The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.

    The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 last year for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions.

    Vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years began on April 1 last year.

    The government then decided to expand the ambit of the vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 years to be inoculated against Covid from May 1 last year.

    Inoculation of adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years commenced on January 3.

    India began administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10.

    The country began inoculating children aged 12-14 from March 16 and also removed the comorbidity clause making all people aged above 60 eligible for the precaution dose of Covid vaccine.

    India on April 10 began administering precaution doses of Covid-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years.

    NEW DELHI: India achieved a major milestone in its vaccination programme against Covid-19 as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 200-crore mark on Sunday.

    According to the health ministry data, 98 per cent of the adult population has received at least one dose while 90 per cent have been fully vaccinated.

    The data showed that 82 per cent of adolescents aged 15 to 18 years have also been vaccinated with the first dose since the vaccination for this age group began on January 3 while 68 per cent have got both the first and second dose.

    Eighty one per cent of those aged 12-14 years have taken the first dose while 56 per cent are fully vaccinated.

    According to health ministry officials, 71 per cent of the vaccination has taken place in Covid vaccination centres located in rural and 29 per cent in urban areas. Also, 48.9 per cent of the total doses were administered to women while 51.5 per cent in men.

    According to the data, 0.02 per cent of total vaccine doses administered were given to ‘Others’.

    In Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Chandigarh, Telangana and Goa, 100 per cent of the 12 year plus eligible population is fully vaccinated.

    The top five states where highest number of doses have been administered are Uttar Pradesh (34,41,93,641), Maharashtra (17,05,59,447), West Bengal (14,40,33,794), Bihar (13,98,52,042) and Madhya Pradesh (12,13,15,911) till 7 am on Sunday.

    ALSO READ | India reports 49 new Covid fatalities, 20,528 cases

    A total of 5,63,67,888 precaution doses have been administered to all eligible population.

    The cumulative Covid vaccine doses administered in the country crossed the 100-crore mark on October 21 last year and 150 crore on January 7 this year.

    The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.

    The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 last year for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions.

    Vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years began on April 1 last year.

    The government then decided to expand the ambit of the vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 years to be inoculated against Covid from May 1 last year.

    Inoculation of adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years commenced on January 3.

    India began administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10.

    The country began inoculating children aged 12-14 from March 16 and also removed the comorbidity clause making all people aged above 60 eligible for the precaution dose of Covid vaccine.

    India on April 10 began administering precaution doses of Covid-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years.

  • Free Covid booster doses free for all adults from today till next 75 days

    By Agencies

    NEW DELHI: The Centre will provide free booster doses of Covid vaccines for the 18-59 age group at government vaccination centres under a 75-day special drive from July 15, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on July 13.

    The free booster dose drive will be held for the next 75 days as part of the government’s Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence and to boost the uptake of Covid precaution doses, he said.

    “Under the Amrit Mahotsav of Azadi, a 75-day free vaccination campaign will be conducted from July 15, in which all citizens above the age of 18 years will be given free vaccination doses at government centres”, Mandaviya said in a tweet.

    Urging eligible population to get the precaution doses, he said in a subsequent tweet: “With this decision, India’s fight against Covid will be strengthened and additional security of citizens will also be ensured. I urge that all adult citizens must get the prevention dose.”

    Less than 1 per cent of the target population of 77 crore in the 18-59 age group have been administered the precaution dose, as per a source. The initiative has been undertaken to increase the uptake of the precautions doses.

    However, around 26 per cent of the estimated 16 crore eligible population aged 60 and above as well as healthcare and frontline workers have received the booster dose.

    To accelerate the pace of vaccination and encourage booster shots, the government also initiated the second round of the ‘Har Ghar Dastak campaign 2.0’ across states and UTs on June 1. The two-month programme is currently underway.

    ALSO READ | Har Ghar Dastak: 9 lakh houses visited in Delhi, only 1.75 lakh say yes to Covid booster shots

    According to government data, 96 per cent of India’s population has been administered the first dose of Covid vaccine, while 87 per cent of people have taken both doses.

    On April 10 this year, India began administering precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years.

    The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with health care workers getting inoculated in the first phase.

    Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.

    On March 1 last year, COVID-19 vaccination began for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions.

    Vaccination for all people aged above 45 years began on April 1 last year.

    The government then decided to expand the ambit of the vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 years to be inoculated against Covid from May 1 last year.

    Inoculation of those in the age group of 15-18 started on January 3 this year.

    The country began inoculating children aged 12-14 on March 16.

    READ HERE | Covaxin booster dose generates 25-fold rise in antibodies: ICMR study

    (Register for precaution dose at cowin.gov.in or in the Aarogya Setu app, go to the Cowin tab, and tap on the vaccination tab.)

    (With PTI and IANS inputs)

    NEW DELHI: The Centre will provide free booster doses of Covid vaccines for the 18-59 age group at government vaccination centres under a 75-day special drive from July 15, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on July 13.

    The free booster dose drive will be held for the next 75 days as part of the government’s Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence and to boost the uptake of Covid precaution doses, he said.

    “Under the Amrit Mahotsav of Azadi, a 75-day free vaccination campaign will be conducted from July 15, in which all citizens above the age of 18 years will be given free vaccination doses at government centres”, Mandaviya said in a tweet.

    Urging eligible population to get the precaution doses, he said in a subsequent tweet: “With this decision, India’s fight against Covid will be strengthened and additional security of citizens will also be ensured. I urge that all adult citizens must get the prevention dose.”

    Less than 1 per cent of the target population of 77 crore in the 18-59 age group have been administered the precaution dose, as per a source. The initiative has been undertaken to increase the uptake of the precautions doses.

    However, around 26 per cent of the estimated 16 crore eligible population aged 60 and above as well as healthcare and frontline workers have received the booster dose.

    To accelerate the pace of vaccination and encourage booster shots, the government also initiated the second round of the ‘Har Ghar Dastak campaign 2.0’ across states and UTs on June 1. The two-month programme is currently underway.

    ALSO READ | Har Ghar Dastak: 9 lakh houses visited in Delhi, only 1.75 lakh say yes to Covid booster shots

    According to government data, 96 per cent of India’s population has been administered the first dose of Covid vaccine, while 87 per cent of people have taken both doses.

    On April 10 this year, India began administering precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years.

    The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with health care workers getting inoculated in the first phase.

    Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.

    On March 1 last year, COVID-19 vaccination began for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions.

    Vaccination for all people aged above 45 years began on April 1 last year.

    The government then decided to expand the ambit of the vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 years to be inoculated against Covid from May 1 last year.

    Inoculation of those in the age group of 15-18 started on January 3 this year.

    The country began inoculating children aged 12-14 on March 16.

    READ HERE | Covaxin booster dose generates 25-fold rise in antibodies: ICMR study

    (Register for precaution dose at cowin.gov.in or in the Aarogya Setu app, go to the Cowin tab, and tap on the vaccination tab.)

    (With PTI and IANS inputs)

  • Immunisation body likely to consider Corbevax as booster for those jabbed with Covishield, Covaxin 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Allowing Biological E’s Corbevax as a booster for those fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with either Covishield or Covaxin is likely to be considered by the NTAGI, which is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, sources said.

    The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on June 4 approved Corbevax as a precaution dose for those aged 18 and above.

    India’s first indigenously-developed RBD protein subunit vaccine, Corbevax, is currently being used to inoculate children in the age group of 12 to 14 years.

    “The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) will discuss allowing Corbevax, which has been cleared by the DCGI, as a booster for those fully vaccinated with Covishield or Covaxin,” a source told PTI.

    The government advisory panel is also expected to review the trial data of the country’s first quadrivalent human papillomavirus (qHPV) vaccine against cervical cancer, developed by the Serum Institute of India.

    A separate HPV working group of the NTAGI had, on June 8, examined the vaccine’s clinical trial data and usefulness for inclusion in the national immunisation programme, sources had said.

    The recommendation of the Standing Technical Sub-Committee (STSC) of the NTAGI on reducing the gap between the second dose and the precaution dose of Covid vaccines from nine to six months may also also be ratified at the meeting to be chaired by the Union health secretary. 

  • DCGI to review Serum Institute’s applications for Covovax use in kids aged 2 to 7 yrs, 7 to 11 yrs 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The subject expert committee on COVID-19 of India’s drug regulator will on Friday review the applications of Serum Institute of India seeking emergency use authorisation to use Covovax among those aged two to seven years and seven to 11 years, official sources said.

    The two applications were submitted by Prakash Kumar Singh, Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at Serum Institute of India (SII) on March 16 and June 1.

    The expert panel in its last meeting in April had sought more data from SII following its application seeking the emergency use authorization of Covovax for seven to 11 years.

    Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had approved Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28 and in the 12 to 17 years age group subject to certain conditions on March 9.

    India began inoculating children aged 12-14 on March 16.

    The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase.

    Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.

    The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 last year for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.

    India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1 last year.

    The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 years of age to be inoculated against the viral disease from May 1 last year.

    The next phase of vaccination commenced from January 3 for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years.

    India began administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10.

    The country began administering precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years at private vaccination centres on April 10.

  • Over 80 per cent of 15-18 years age group got first dose of Covid vaccine: Mandaviya 

    Over 80 per cent of 15-18 years age group got first dose of Covid vaccine: Mandaviya