Covid-19: Biological E's ‘Corbevax’ gets nod as first heterologous booster dose

India opened Covid-19 vaccine precaution doses for all adults on April 10 at private vaccination centres. The shots were first made available for frontline workers, healthcare workers, and senior citizens with comorbidities starting January 10.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Saturday approved Biological E's coronavirus vaccine Corbevax as a heterologous Covid-19 booster dose (also known as precaution shot) for all adults. People who have been inoculated with two doses of either Bharat Biotech's Covaxin or Serum Institute of India's (SII) Covishield can now receive Corbevax as the booster jab. With this, the Biological E vaccine has become the first to be allowed as a heterologous precaution dose.

Corbevax is currently being used as a vaccine against Covid-19 for children aged 12-18 after it received DCGI nod in February this year. (Photo by Sanchit Khanna/Hindustan Times)

Corbevax - currently used as a Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 12-18, after it received DCGI nod in February, was given the green signal to conduct trials as booster shots in December.

Last month, Hyderabad-based Biological E cut the pricing of each dose of Corbevax to ₹250 for private vaccination centres from ₹840 per dose. This price is inclusive of GST, and would cost end users ₹400 per shot, including taxes and administration charges.

India opened precaution doses (a third shot) for all adults on April 10 at private vaccination centres. The jabs were first made available for frontline workers, healthcare workers, and senior citizens with comorbidities starting January 10.

The Centre has mandated a gap of nine months after the second dose for adults to be eligible for the precaution shot. However, the rule was revised for those traveling overseas last month to meet conditions imposed by several countries. Those traveling abroad can take their booster dose three months after their second shot.