While Corbevax is currently approved for restricted use only in adults, Biological E has recently completed trials in cohorts of 5-12 years and 12-18 years. According to a source, scientific experts reviewed Corbevax’s clinical trial data in the cohort of 12-18 years during a meeting of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) for Covid-19 on Friday. The company, however, is yet to submit data obtained from trials in children for regulatory approval to the DCGI. Sources indicated that once the NTAGI members are satisfied with the data and give a go-ahead, the final approval from the regulator may not take long.
At present, adolescents only in the 15-17 age group are covered under the government’s vaccination drive, which administers only Covaxin for this cohort. While the supply of Covaxin is strained due to limited production, it is also used for primary vaccination among adults as well as for administering the “precaution” or booster dose to those eligible beneficiaries who have received two doses of the same vaccine.
Around 66% of the 7.4 crore adolescents of 15-17 years have received at least the first dose of Covaxin in around a month since the programme was rolled out for them on January 3. Around 56 lakh of these youngsters have also got their second dose.
With a pressing need to restart offline education and reopen schools, the government is under pressure to expand the vaccination programme among children. While it maintains that any such decision will be driven by evidence and the advice of the scientific committee, the limited availability of jabs for children seems to be a major constraint.
The Centre has placed the order for five crore doses of Corbevax at the rate of Rs 145 per dose, excluding taxes. In June 2021, the government had released an advance of Rs 1,500 crore to HLL Lifecare Ltd for procurement of Corbevax from Biological E. The government had then placed an advance order to purchase 30 crore doses.
Batches of around six crore doses of the vaccine have been cleared by the Central Drug Laboratory in Kasauli that tests every batch of vaccine released in the country for use.
With nearly 96% of the country’s adult population already covered with at least one dose of the vaccine and 77% fully vaccinated, Corbevax can possibly be used only as boosters or among children.
Though Biological E is also testing the vaccine as a booster, the trial results may take time to arrive. Besides, at present, the government has not allowed mixing of vaccines for booster jabs. Its booster policy is also currently limited to only health and frontline workers along with people above 60 years with co-morbidities.
The government has also made it clear that it will prioritise population groups based on risk assessment while expanding the vaccination programme.