Covaxin, Covishield Most Used COVID Jabs in India: What's the Status of Others?

As India administers more than 170 Crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines, a large section of its population has received Covishield by Serum Institute of India (SII) or Covaxin by Bharat Biotech.

(Photo: The Quint)

As India administers more than 170 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines, a large section of its population has received Covishield by Serum Institute of India (SII) or Covaxin by Bharat Biotech. However, these two largely used vaccines are not the only two vaccines granted for usage by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), but the only ones largely available for administration.

Which other vaccines have been approved by DCGI? When was it approved? Who manufactures it? Here is a list:

Cobrevax

Cobrevax was approved for restricted emergency use in India on 28 December 2021.

Cobrevax is:

• The first RBD protein sub-unit vaccine, was indigenously developed in India

• Manufactured by Biological E, based in Hyderabad

• Reported to cost Rs 145 per vial

On Saturday, 5 February, the Centre placed an order for five crore doses of Corbevax, official sources said to News18. However, which section of people will be administered with this new vaccine is yet to be decided.

Covovax

Covovax was approved for restricted emergency use along with Cobrevax on 28 December 2021.

Covovax is:

• Manufactured in India by Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune

• Approved for producing 3.15 crore doses by the Central Drugs Laboratory

According to US-based manufacturers, Covovax has more than 90 percent efficacy in a late-stage clinical trial. There is no information on the order placed by the government.

ZyCov-D

ZyCov D was approved by DCGI on 20 August 2021 for usage.

It is:

• The first needle-free COVID vaccine in India

• The second indigenous COVID-19 vaccine in India

• The first DNA vaccine in the world

• Manufactured by Zydus Cadila

• Administered in three doses (Day 0, Day 28, Day 56)

An order of 10 million ZyCov-D vaccines was placed by the Indian government last year as a part of its national anti-COVID immunisation programme. Earlier this month, the company said that it has started supplying the jabs to the government.

Sputnik V

India approved Sputnik V vaccine back in 12 April 2021. Over six months after its India rollout in mid-May 2021, only a little over 11.77 lakh doses of Sputnik V have been administered, reported The Times of India.

It is:

• Manufactured by the Gamaleya Institute in Moscow

• Convenient to transport because it can be stored at fridge temperature (2 to 8 °C)

• A two-dose vaccine administered at a gap of 21 days

• Out of the total doses administered in the country only 12 lakh doses are of Sputnik V

The vaccine has two slightly different forms in the two doses and works by inducing a harmless cold-type virus, which helps the immune system to create antibodies.

Sputnik Light

Sputnik Light was recently approved by DCGI on Sunday, 6 February .

Sputnik Light is:

• The same as the component-1 of the original Sputnik V.

• Manufactured in Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Hyderabad in partnership with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF)

• A single-dose vaccine

• Approved in 30 different countries

• Reported to have an efficacy of 65.4 percent after 21 days of immunisation

Johnson & Johnson’s Vaccine

Johnson & Johnson’s has been approved for emergency by the DCGI in India on 7 August 2021. The launch of the vaccine by Johnson and Johnson (J&J) India and exports from the country in collaboration with Biological E seems to be in limbo and there is no information about it on the public domain.

It is:

• A single-dose vaccine

• A USA-based manufacturer

• Reported to have an efficacy of 85 percent, 28 days after inoculation

Moderna

Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have been approved in India by the DCGI on 29 June 2021, but again is not available for administration.

Moderna is:

• Manufactured by a US-based company

• Manufactured by Cipla Ltd. in India

• A two-dose vaccine was administered at a gap of 28 days

• A mRNA vaccine

(Inputs by News 18 and Hindustan Times)