Ideal time for booster dose for COVID vaccine is 6 months after 2nd dose: Bharat Biotech MD Krishna Ella

The ideal time for a booster dose is six months after the second dose," Ella stated. ”The ideal time for a booster dose is six months after the second dose,” Ella stated. Bharat Biotech is also looking at nasal vaccine as a booster dose as its scaling up capacity is very easy when compared with Covaxin, he added.

November 10, 2021 / 03:22 PM IST

File image of ZyCov-D vaccine (Source: Twitter)

The ideal time for a booster dose for COVID-19 vaccine is six months after the second dose, Bharat Biotech Chairman and Managing Director Krishna Ella said on Wednesday, and also emphasised the importance of having a nasal vaccine.

He also pointed out that his company was the first in the world to develop a Zika vaccine.

Taking the Covaxin vaccine by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed confidence in Indian Science, he said at the Times Now Summit 2021.

The ideal time for a booster dose is six months after the second dose," Ella stated. ”The ideal time for a booster dose is six months after the second dose,” Ella stated. Bharat Biotech is also looking at nasal vaccine as a booster dose as its scaling up capacity is very easy when compared with Covaxin, he added.

About the importance of nasal vaccine, he said the entire world is looking at nasal vaccines. That is the only way to stop transmission. Everyone is trying to figure out the immunology and fortunately, Bharat Biotech has figured it out.

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COVID-19 Vaccine

Frequently Asked Questions

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How does a vaccine work?

A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

How many types of vaccines are there?

There are broadly four types of vaccine — one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine.

What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind?

Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.

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"We are coming out with a nasal vaccine, we are thinking that Covaxin can be given as first dose, the second dose can be given a nasal, that is also strategically, scientifically very important because with the second dose, if it is a nasal one, you stop the transmission of the virus…,” Ella said.

Nasal vaccine orks well if someone has been infected or if someone has been vaccinated with one dose, he added. Nasal vaccine works well if someone has been infected or if someone has been vaccinated with one dose, he added.

About the PM taking the Covaxin shot, he said, ”What would a scientist like to have? A country head taking his vaccine. That is the best satisfaction a scientist can get… It shows confidence in the Indian science, confidence in the startup, and confidence in our innovation…”

"Speaking about a vaccine for Zika, Ella said Bharat Biotech is ready with a vaccine for Zika virus. Phase I is complete. The government has to take up more trials because there are more cases now. Speaking about a vaccine for Zika, Ella said Bharat Biotech is ready with a vaccine for Zika virus. Phase I is complete. The government has to take up more trials because there are more cases now.

"We were the first company in the world to develop the Zika vaccine in 2014… We were the first one to file for a global patent for Zika vaccine"India,current affairs,Krishna Ella,Biotech,coronavirus,COVID-19, he added.
Tags: #biotech #coronavirus #Covid-19 #Current Affairs #India #Krishna Ella
first published: Nov 10, 2021 03:22 pm