Corbevax available as COVID-19 booster from today; all you need to know

Biological E’s Corbevax will be available as the third or booster COVID-19 dose for adults from today. Individuals who have been fully vaccinated with either Covishield or Covaxin will be able to take Corbevax as the booster dose.

This is the first time the Indian government has allowed the mixing of two vaccines. The approval came after the COVID-19 Working Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) recommended the same. 

Corbevax can be taken by individuals after 6 months or 26 weeks from the administration of the second dose. 

The vaccine had received emergency use authorization as primary two-dose vaccination regimen in adults, adolescents and children of five years and above, in a series of approvals from December 2021 to April 2022.

According to sources, the COVID-19 Working Group (CWG) observed that the “Corbevax vaccine can induce significant increase in antibody titers when given to those who have received either Covaxin or Covishield”. CWG’s observation came after it reviewed the data of a double-blind randomised phase-3 clinical study that evaluated the immunogenicity and safety of Corbevax as the booster dose.

Corbevax is the country’s first indigenously developed RBD proten subunit vaccine. It is currently used for inoculating children in the age group of 12-14 years.

The maker of the vaccine, Biological E, has delivered 10 crore doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to the Centre.

The price of Corbevax at private COVID-19 vaccination centres is Rs 250, inclusive of GST. For the end-user, the price was fixed at Rs 400, including taxes and administrative charges.

(With PTI inputs)

Also read: Corbevax approved as precaution dose for adults vaccinated with Covaxin, Covishield

Also read: COVID-19: 100 mn doses of Corbevax supplied to Centre, says Biological E