Pune: Zydus Cadila’s vaccine against COVID-19, called ZyCoV-D, the first vaccine to receive approval for use in children aged 12-17 years in India, will also be given to private hospitals across the country. 

The government’s supply ratio of 75:25 for public and private vaccination will apply to this vaccine as well. ZyCoV-D is expected to be introduced in the nationwide COVID vaccination program by October 20.

Chairman of the COVID-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), NK Arora, said that if there are buyers, around 25 lakh doses of the ZyCoV-D vaccine would be given to private sector hospitals every month as the monthly vaccine availability will be one crore doses in the initial stage.

The needle-free, three-dose vaccine will be administered with a 28-day interval between each dose. Arora stated that the biggest problem with this vaccine is slow production. He further stated that the private sector had not shown much interest in vaccine purchases after the new guidelines of vaccine supply in the ratio of 75:25 were put into effect. 

Sanjay Lalwani, medical director of Bharati Hospital in Pune, said that being a three-dose vaccine, the vaccination cost would likely be high, which may have a negative effect on purchase in the private sector.

Source: ET Healthworld