Govt panel recommends Serum Institute�s Covovax for vaccination in all above 12

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, April 04, 2022: Covovax has now been added to India’s vaccine arsenal and will be administered to all above 12 years of age. The vaccine against Covid-19, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, has been recommended to the Standing Technical Sub Committee (STSC) of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) for use in the 12-17 years age group in the immunization program.

 

India’s drug regulator approved Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28 and in children in the 12-17 age group, subject to certain conditions, on March 9.

The COVID-19 Working Group has now recommended to the Standing Technical Sub-Committee of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) that Covovax be included in the national vaccination programme for all above 12.

The Serum Institute had recently written to the Health Ministry, seeking Covovax’s inclusion in the inoculation drive.

“A meeting of the COVID-19 Working Group of the NTAGI took place on April 1 during which the data of Covovax was reviewed, following which it recommended the inclusion of the vaccine in the national COVID-19 vaccination programme for inoculating those aged 12 years and above," news agency PTI reported, quoting sources.

The Serum Institute, in its letter, had stated that the Pune-based firm wanted to provide Covovax to private hospitals at Rs 900 per dose plus GST and that they were waiting for directions to supply it to the Centre. However, the price of the vaccine for the government was not mentioned.

India began vaccinating children between the ages of 12 and 14 years from March 16 with Biological E’s Corbevax.

Courtesy: India Today