The first vaccine approved for use among children in the age group of 12-17 in India namely ZyCoV-D, will also be made available to private sector hospitals across the country as per reports.
ZyCoV-D is set to be introduced in the country’s Covid vaccination program by October 20. The Centre’s supply principle in the ratio of 75:25 for public and private vaccination will remain intact for ZyCoV-D as well.
“If there are buyers, up to 25 lakh doses of the ZyCoV-D would be made available to private sector hospitals every month as the initial monthly vaccine availability will be one crore doses,” NK Arora, chairman of the Centre’s Covid-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) told TOI on Sunday.
ZyCoV-D was approved by the country’s apex drug regulator, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), on August 20. The first indigenously-developed vaccine in India is Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. The three-dose vaccine is to be given with a 28-day gap between each dose.
However, the biggest setback for the vaccine is its slow production. Initially, the manufacturer can only make available one crore doses every month.
Also Read: ‘ZyCoV-D Will be as Affordable as Our Other Products, Market Launch Likely by Sept-end’: Zydus Group MD
“The pricing of ZyCoV-D is yet to be finalised in consultation with the government. Technology, capacity and volume will be considered while deciding the pricing,” Patel said, assuring that the final price of vaccine will be “affordable”.
“Throughout the pandemic, Zydus has provided affordable therapeutics, diagnostics and preventives and ZyCoV-D will be no different.” ZyCoV-D, which is the world’s first plasmid DNA vaccine against Covid-19 — is the only vaccine in India approved for use in the 12-17 years age group, presently.
Currently, ZyCoV-D is looked at as a potential option for opening schools. On being asked how the company plans to start delivering the vaccine, Patel said that they have completed the logistics planning.
“We are also working on integration with the COWIN app that we will need to do to ensure that we could give better compliance and adherence.”
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