Two-dose ZyCoV-D regimen to help vaccinate more people in shorter time, says Zydus Lifesciences

Zydus Lifesciences said on Tuesday said a two-dose regimen of ZyCoV-D will help in administering the vaccine against coronavirus infections to a larger population in a shorter time.

The company’s vaccine ZyCoV-D has received emergency use authorisation from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for the two-dose regimen.

With the approval, the drug can be administered as a 3 mg two-dose inoculation schedule for those aged 12 years and above. It can be administered with a gap of 28 days.

Currently, ZyCoV-D is approved for a 2 mg three-dose vaccination schedule with a gap of 28 days between each jab.

India began inoculating children aged 12-14 years on March 16.

About the two-dose regimen, Zydus Lifesciences Managing Director Sharvil Patel said it will increase the compliance for the vaccine and reduce the overall time required for vaccination to improve immunity against the virus.

“It will also help in administering the vaccine in a larger population in a shorter time which is always desirable in the midst of a pandemic,” he said in a statement.

DCGI’s approval follows recommendations by the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19 of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

The countrywide vaccination drive started on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.

The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 last year for people over 60 years of age and for those aged 45 years and above with specified co-morbid conditions.

India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1 last year. The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 years of age to be inoculated against the viral disease from May 1 last year.

The next phase of vaccination commenced on January 3 for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years.

The country began administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 years and above with co-morbidities from January 10.

Precaution doses of the vaccines to all aged above 18 years were allowed at private vaccination centres from April 10.