India approves Corbevax as booster dose for adults vaccinated with Covaxin, Covishield

India has approved Biological E's Corbevax as a precaution dose for the population above 18 years, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said. It can be administered after the completion of six months from the date of administration of the second dose of either Covaxin or Covishield vaccines.

In a letter to states, Bhushan said, "Corbevax will be available as precaution dose after completion of 6 months or 26 weeks from the date of administration of the second dose of either Covaxin or Covishield vaccines for population above 18 years."

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Notably, this is the first time that a booster dose that is different from the one used for primary vaccination against COVID-19 has been allowed in the country.

"In addition to the existing homologous precaution dose, the option of a heterologous precaution dose with Corbevax would be available to all persons above 18 years of age," Bhushan said in the letter.

The Union health ministry reportedly took the decision following the recommendations of the COVID-19 Working Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI). It had reviewed data of the double-blind randomised 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.

Corbevax is currently being used to inoculate children in the age group of 12 to 14 years.

(With inputs from agencies)

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