Atmanirbhar Bharat: Zydus Covid Vaccine, Which Can Be Used for Children Above 12, Gets Approval

Zydus Cadila Covid vaccine ‘ZyCov-D’ got Emergency Use Authorisation on Friday (August 20) and is the world's first DNA based vaccine.

Gujarat-based Zydus Cadila’s Covid-19 vaccine ‘ZyCov-D’ got approval from Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) on Friday (August 20).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Twitter, “India is fighting COVID-19 with full vigour. The approval for world’s first DNA based ‘ZyCov-D’ vaccine of @ZydusUniverse is a testimony to the innovative zeal of India’s scientists. A momentous feat indeed.”

Late Friday (August 20) evening, the Subject Expert Committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) approved the vaccine.

It posted on Twitter, “After evaluation of interim Phase III clinical trial results in consultation with Subject Expert Committee, CDSCO has approved DNA COVID-19 vaccine (ZyCoV-D) of M/s Cadila Healthcare for restricted use in emergency situation in India for 12 years and above.”

It added, “The vaccine has an efficacy of 66.6% and it is to be stored at 2°C to 8°C. The vaccine is needle free to be administered intradermally in three doses at day 0, 28 and 56.”

It is the only vaccine that can be used for children above 12 years of age.

“Zydus receives EUA from DCGI for ZyCoV-D, the only needle-free COVID vaccine in the world”, said Zydus Cadila.

It is the world’s first Plasmid DNA vaccine against Covid-19 and has been fully developed in India.