Covid-19: Bharat Biotech's nasal vaccine gets govt nod as booster shot

The health ministry on Friday approved Bharat Biotech's intranasal Covid-19 vaccine for inclusion in the vaccination programme as a booster dose for those above 18 years of age. The needle-free vaccine will be available at private centres. It will be introduced on the Co-WIN platform on Friday evening.

The nasal vaccine -- BBV154 -- received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India in November for restricted use in an emergency for those above 18 as a heterologous booster dose.

This will be India's first such needleless jab. As of now, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, Serum Institute's Covishield and Covovax, Russian Sputnik V and Biological E Ltd's Corbevax are listed in the Cowin portal as valid vaccines. 

On September 6, Bharat Biotech announced that its iNCOVACC (BBV154) has received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India under "Restricted Use in Emergency Situation" for ages 18 and above.

The approval for the vaccine comes amid a spurt in Covid cases in China and some other countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Thursday cautioned people against complacency and urged them to wear masks in crowded places while also directing officials to strengthen surveillance measures, especially at international airports.

When a vaccine is administered to a human body, the B cells in the blood start churning out antibodies. The most important of these are called IgG antibodies. They search for the virus in the body and, with the help of T cells, destroy the infected cells.

B cells, however, also reside around the mucosal tissues. When a nasal vaccine is administered, they form another type of antibody, IgA. IgA with T cells destroys the pathogens in the airway only. Also, they memorise the pathogen and prevent it from entering the body ever again.

(With agency inputs)