The government has approved Biological E. Limited’s Corbevax as a precaution dose for those above 18 years and fully vaccinated with either Covishield or Covaxin. This is the first time that the country allows for a booster dose, different from the one used for primary vaccination.
The Union Health Ministry recently approved the vaccine based on the recommendations of the Working Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI). Corbevax is to be considered as a precaution dose after completion of 6 months (or 26 weeks) from the date of the second dose of either Covaxin or Covishield vaccines for persons aged above 18 years. All the necessary changes in administering the precautionary dose of the Corbevax vaccine will be updated on the Co-WIN portal.

Corbevax is a protein subunit COVID-19 vaccine licensed to Hyderabad-based biopharmaceutical firm Biological E. Limited (BioE) for development and production. The country’s first indigenously developed RBD protein subunit vaccine Corbevax is currently being used to inoculate children (aged between 12 -14 years) under the Covid-19 immunisation program.

Notably, the Corbevax vaccine can induce a significant increase in antibody titers when given to those who have received either Covaxin or Covishield. India started administering precaution doses of Covid-19 vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities on January 10 this year.