Covovax, Corbevax, ZyCov-D Not Rolled Out Months After DCGI Nod; Now is Right Time, Say Experts

Three vaccines – Covovax, Biological E’s jab Corbevax, and Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D vaccine – approved last year by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for emergency use are yet to be rolled out in the vaccination drive. While ZyCov-D was approved in August 2021 for use in both adults and children over 12 years, Covovax and Corbevax were approved in December. Experts opine that now is the right time to roll out the vaccines as India has started immunizing adolescents and giving precautionary dose for those over 60 years, healthcare workers, and frontline workers since the start of 2022.

Only Covaxin is being used for children currently although, as per a report in Scroll.in, the government had placed an order for one crore ZyCoV-D doses and applicators costing at least Rs 385 crore.

The roll out of the three vaccines approved last will strengthen India’s immunization program say experts, who also pointed out that it is important for the manufacturers of the vaccines to ensure enough supplies before the rollout, according to a Times of India report.

As per the report, Union Health Ministry officials admitted that the firms’ production capacity was an issue in introducing these three vaccines in the current program. The official added that with most of the adult population vaccinated with two doses, the focus of using these vaccines would be in the northeastern states, which are lagging behind in coverage.

Orders for the new vaccines have been placed by the government for use in poorly vaccinated areas and states, a senior official was quoted by TOI as saying. “We should start getting supply of at least ZyCov-D in a month’s time. After the emergency authorization has been issued to a vaccine, the central government can place orders and it has been done. The other two should be included shortly.”

Several states were allocated doses of ZyCov-D after it was approved by the DCGI, but they are yet to receive them. Maharashtra had placed an order of nearly 14 lakh doses for areas with poor first dose vaccination, such as Nashik and Jalgoan districts, but a senior public health official told TOI that the doses are yet to be received.

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