Govt panel recommends inclusion of Covovax in national COVID vaccination drive for those aged 12 and above

SII aims to provide Covovax to private hospitals at ₹900 per dose

Serum Institute’s COVID-19 vaccine Covovax has been recommended to the Standing Technical Sub Committee (STSC) of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) for inclusion of use in the 12-17 years age group in the national COVID-19 vaccination program.

Confirming this latest move, health officials said that a meeting of the COVID-19 working group of the NTAGI took place on April 1 during which data of Covovax was reviewed. After this, it was recommended that the vaccine can be included in the national COVID-19 vaccination programme for inoculating those aged 12 years and above.

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

Serum Institute of India (SII) director for Government and Regulatory Affairs Prakash Kumar Singh had written to the Union Health Ministry recently, requesting Covovax’s inclusion in the immunisation drive.

Mr. Singh had stated that the Pune-based firm wanted to provide Covovax to private hospitals at ₹900 per dose plus GST and was waiting for directions to supply it to the Centre. However, the price of the vaccine for the government was not mentioned.

India began inoculating children aged 12-14 from March 16. Biological E’s Corbevax is being used to inoculate them.