Covid cases in India: Serum Institute's Covovax vaccine approved for booster dose - Check availability, cost per dose, eligibility

Covid Vaccine Covovax: To counter the growing numbers of Coronavirus disease cases in the country, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday approved the use of Serum Institute's Covovax Covid vaccine to be administered as a heterologous booster to adults. PTI quoted official sources as saying that Covovax would be included on the CoWIN portal soon.

Covid Vaccine Covovax: Booster dose price, availability

As per the report, Covovax vaccine doses are likely to be available on the CoWIN portal in a few days. these booster doses will be available at a price of Rs 225 per dose plus applicable taxes, the report furrther added.

Covid Vaccine Covovax: Who can take booster dose?

Sources said that information from SII suggests that those who have taken SII's Covishield vaccine, and those administered with Bharat Biotech's Covaxin can both be inoculated with Covovax booster dose. 

Covid cases in India news Update

India recorded 5,800 new Coronavirus cases in the 24-hours leading to Monday - April 10, taking the total number of active cases in the country to 35,199.  As per the data uploaded on Monday morning, 12 deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours, taking the total death toll from Coronavirus disease to 5,30,916 overall. 

As per the report, Prakash Kumar Singh, Director of Serum Institute of India (SII), had written to the Union health ministry stating that Covovax has received approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), World Healt Organisation (WHO) and US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). And that it should be added onto the CoWIN portal as a heterologous booster dose for adults.

The COVID-19 Working Group chaired by Dr N K Arora had last month suggested to the Health Ministry to include the Covovax vaccine on CoWIN portal as a heterologous booster dose for all adults who have taken two doses of either Covishield or Covaxin.

Earlier this year, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had approved Covovax's market authorisation, deeming it fir for all those who have taken two doses of either SII's Covishield or Bharat Biotech's Covaxin.