Govt nod to Corbevax as precaution dose for adults vaccinated with Covaxin, Covishield

India

pti-PTI

New
Delhi,
Aug
10:
The
government
on
Wednesday
approved
Biological
E’s
Corbevax
as
a
precaution
dose
for
those
above
18
years
fully
vaccinated
with
either
Covishield
or
Covaxin.
This
is
for
the
first
time
that
a
booster
dose
that
is
different
from
the
one
used
for
primary
vaccination
against
Covid
has
been
allowed
in
the
country.

All
necessary
changes
in
administration
of
heterologous
precaution
dose
using
Corbevax
to
those
eligible
and
due
for
precaution
dose
have
been
made
on
the
Co-WIN
portal.
This
provision
would
be
live
from
August
12,
Union
Health
Secretary
Rajesh
Bhushan
said
in
a
letter
to
states
and
Union
territories.

He
said
that
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.

“This
enables
use
of
Corbevax
as
a
heterologous
COVID-19
vaccine
for
precaution
dose
administration
in
this
age
group,”
Bhushan
said.
There
will
be
no
change
in
existing
guidelines
for
homologous
precaution
dose
administration
of
Covaxin
and
Covishield,
he
said.

Health
Minister
Mansukh
Mandaviya
said
this
will
further
strengthen
India’s
arsenal
against
COVID-19.
“…
@MoHFW_India
approves
Corbevax
as
#PrecautionDose
for
those
above
18
yrs
vaccinated
with
either
Covishield
or
Covaxin,
6
months
or
26
weeks
after
administration
of
2nd
dose.
This
provision
would
be
live
from
12th
August,”
he
said
in
a
tweet.

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.
The
decision
has
been
taken
based
on
scientific
evidence,
global
practices
and
the
recommendations
of
domain
knowledge
experts.

“Instruction
in
this
regard
may
be
issued
to
all
concerned
officials
and
it
may
also
be
publicised
widely.
I
look
forward
to
your
support
and
leadership
in
achieving
high
coverage
of
precaution
dose
to
all
due
beneficiaries
at
Covid
vaccination
centres
during
the
ongoing
‘Covid
Vaccination
Amrit
Mahotsav’ campaign,”
Bhushan
said
in
the
letter.

India’s
COVID-19
vaccination
program
has
achieved
the
historical
milestone
of
administering
more
than
2
billion
doses
so
far.
About
97
per
cent
of
the
12
plus
age
population
of
the
country
has
been
covered
with
at
least
one
dose
and
about
89
per
cent
with
both
doses.
Considerable
progress
is
also
being
made
under
“Covid
Vaccination
Amrit
Mahotsav”
(from
15
July
to
September
30),
to
cover
eligible
beneficiaries
above
18
years
with
precaution
dose,
he
said.