India will get another Covid-19 vaccine as a booster this month, with Serum Institute of India's Covovax set to be approved in the next 10 to 15 days, said SII CEO Adar Poonawalla. Speaking on the sidelines of an event in Pune, Poonawalla told reporters that the recombinant spike protein nanoparticle vaccine "works very well against the Omicron variant of coronavirus".
"Covovax will be approved as a booster in the next 10-15 days. It is actually the best booster because it works very well against Omicron, more than Covishield," PTI quoted Poonawalla as saying.
Presently, the XBB.1.5 and Omicron's BF.7 variants are behind the surge in cases in some parts of the world. While the latter has triggered a massive infection spike in China, the XBB.1.5 has contributed to over 40 per cent new cases in the US.
Asked about several states complaining that they were getting Covishield vaccine, he said there was ample stock with the Union government for supply.
Poonawalla said India caught the attention of the world because the country managed to take care of a huge and diverse population and also helped 70 to 80 nations during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"This was all possible because of the leadership of our central government, our state governments, healthcare workers, manufacturers, all of whom worked together with one common goal," he said.
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On the occasion, Poonawalla was conferred with the first Dr Pantangrao Kadam Memorial Award. The award was given by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Covovax Covid Vaccine: All You Need To Know
India's apex drugs regulator, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), had approved Covovax for emergency use in adults on December 28, 2021, and in the 12 to 17 years age group on March 9, 2022. On June 28, 2022, Covovax was approved for children aged 7 to 11 years.
The vaccine, developed by the SII in partnership with the US-based Novavax, is administered intramuscularly in two doses, with SII recommending a gap of three weeks between the jabs.
So, how does the vaccine work?
Covovax targets the spike protein on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus -- the protein that allows the virus to penetrate the human cell.
Results from Phase 3 clinical trials in the US and Mexico showed that the vaccine demonstrated 90.4 per cent efficacy in preventing symptomatic Covid-19 disease.