Covax will get approval as a booster in 10-15 days, says Adar Poonawalla of SII

Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla said, “Covax will get approval as a booster in the next 10-15 days. It really is the best booster as it works very well against Omicron more than Covishield.”

When asked about the states and districts not getting the Covishield vaccine, he said that the central government has enough stock for supply.

As per earlier reports, the DCGI’s office had raised some queries regarding the SII’s application. Thereafter, SII’s Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs Prakash Kumar Singh had submitted a reply citing the current emerging situation due to a new coronavirus variant.

Here’s what you need to know about Covax:

Covax is a recombinant spike protein nanoparticle vaccine that was approved last year for restricted use on adults and children. It is manufactured through technology transfer from the American biotechnology company Novavax and has been approved by the European Medicines Agency for conditional marketing authorisation.

It is administered intramuscularly in two doses, with the SII recommending a three-week gap between jabs.

The DCGI had approved Covax on December 28, 2021, for restricted use in emergency situations in adults and for those aged 12-17, subject to certain conditions, on March 9. It was approved for restricted emergency use in children aged seven to seven years. 11 years in June.

While the Indian administration allowed mixing and matching of vaccines late last year, it is not yet clear whether this will apply to Covax users.

The Serum Institute has sought approval to use the vaccine as a booster dose for people 18 years of age and older who have been given two doses of Covishield or Covaxin.

(with inputs from agencies)