Central Drugs Laboratory clears 2 more vaccines, panel awaits approval for kids

As shared by a leading daily, India’s apex lab Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) has cleared stock of 6 crore Corbevax doses.

The Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by Hyderabad-based Biological E is currently being stockpiled by the firm as the government is yet to decide further plan.

The government has already started inoculating teenagers with Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. The Corbevax doses are expected to be included in this vaccination drive.

Besides approving Corbevax, the government laboratory has also approved 3.15 crore doses of Covovax, which is an American vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India. Additionally, the laboratory has approved 1.85 crore doses of Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by Biological E in India.

CDL in Himachal Pradesh’s Kasauli is the government laboratory which tests the safety of all vaccines used in India. It has released a stock of over 6 crore vaccines in the last three months after checking its safety and efficacy.

To further asses the data for usage of Covovax and Corbevax amond kids, top experts from the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation in India will meet on Friday.

Majority of Indian population is being vaccinated with the first dose of Covishield or Covaxin. Corbevax and Covovax have not been launched as part of the country’s vaccination drive.

According to a member of the panel, the new vaccines can only be used in the form of boosters or among children. He added, “There is no need for boosting population right now as a South African study shows Omicron infection induces much higher antibodies or immune response in human body apart from giving protection against Delta variant.”

Further, he said, “The members will review data and compare it to available data on Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, which is currently being given to teenagers. If these two vaccines are good enough, they can be approved as India needs more vaccines for children due to limited production of Covaxin and its requirement in primary inoculation plan and precautionary doses”.

Meanwhile, Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine and Covovax are being used for exports.