The first batch of Zydus- Cadila’s corona virus vaccine would be delivered to the centre by December. ZyCoV-D is a DNA based needle free vaccine. Although designed for people above 12 years of age, this vaccine would be initially delivered to only people above 18 years of age.
The drug was passed for emergency usage by the Drugs Controller General of India in August.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya expressed that the government is not in a hurry to administer vaccine to children.
The vaccine is a three dosage system; the gap between the vaccines should be 28 days. This is the first vaccine to be approved in India for inoculation to people below 18 years of age. During initial studies, the vaccine had shown good stability at temperatures of 25 degrees for 3months. This makes it easier to transport and store in Indian environment conditions.
Since this is a needle based applicator system, the vaccination staff would be given a brief training to handle the vaccine.
The company said in a regulatory filing that
“Zydus Cadila has received an order of one crore doses of ZyCoV-D, the world’s first plasmid DNA vaccine to the government of India at ₹265 per dose and the needle free applicator being offered at ₹93 per dose , excluding GST”
ZyCoV-D is the first DNA plasmid vaccine developed indigenously .
