Corbevax as Covid booster for adults from August 12
India’s Union Health Ministry 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 the 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 would be available as a 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 populations above 18 years.
“This enables the use of Corbevax as a heterologous COVID-19 vaccine for precaution dose administration in this age group,” Bhushan said, adding that there will be no change in existing guidelines for homologous precaution dose administration of Covaxin and Covishield, he said. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also Tweeted:
Further Strengthening 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.
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) August 10, 2022
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 publicized widely. I look forward to your support and leadership in achieving high coverage of precaution dose for all due beneficiaries at Covid vaccination centers during the ongoing ‘Covid Vaccination Amrit Mahotsav’ campaign,” said the Union Health Secretary in his letter to the states about Corbevax.
India’s COVID-19 vaccination program has achieved the historical milestone of administering more than 2 billion doses so far. About 97 percent of the 12-plus age population of the country has been covered with at least one dose and about 89 percent 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.
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