India's second indigenous Covid-19 vaccine gets approved by DCGI

Trials were being carried out among children of 12-18 age group, and it has been concluded that this vaccine is safe for use. This is the first jab to be approved in India for children.

ZyCoV-D is the first needle-free vaccine in the world manufactured by the Zydus Cadila Company in Gujarat. The medicine (vaccine) will be administered using a needle-free system named 'Tropis' by the 'PharmaJet' company. The vaccine goes intradermal into the skin, unlike the other injections. The technology uses a single-use, sterile, disposable syringe with a reusable injector. The needle-free syringe is filled with the vaccine and loaded into the injector.

ZyCoV-D is a plasmid DNA vaccine that carries genetic code for that part of the virus that triggers the immune system of the body. During the time of administration of the vaccine, the spike protein which gets produced, elicits an immune response that protects the body from various viral infections.

This vaccine needs to be administered in 3 doses. After the first dose, the second dose on the 28th day and the third jab on the 56th day. The medicine needs to be stored at a temperature ranging from 2-8 degrees to 25 degrees celsius for three months.

According to Dr Sharvil Patel, the Managing Director of the Zydus Cadila, price of this vaccine will be lower and an estimate of 1 crore doses will be available for the month of October.