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

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

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