India will soon roll out mRNA shots and intranasal vaccines, which will be available on CoWIN, and can be used as boosters against Covid-19. India’s first mRNA shot is only the third mRNA vaccine to be approved for Covid-19 in the world after Pfizer and Moderna. While nasal vaccines will block transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in body through nose.
According to an article by The Times of India, Dr NK Arora, chief of National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) said, “The Indian mRNA shot is the only one in its category that can stored in 2-8 degree Celsius. Similarly, the intranasal vaccine is easier to administer. These vaccines can be given as primary doses and, when we get enough data, can also be introduced as heterologous boosters.”
Difference Between Two Vaccines
At present, Covid-19 vaccines available in India are all intramuscular vaccines, Covaxin, Covishield, which ensure that the infection will not become severe after inoculation. The experts believe that a combination of an intramuscular Covid-19 vaccine and a nasal vaccine can be a “game changer” for the country to fight against Covid-19.
Bharat Biotech MD Dr Krishna Ella had in April spoke about the possibility of a nasal vaccine for coronavirus and explained, “Injectable vaccines only protect up to lower lung, upper lungs and nose are not protected. People vaccinated may get an infection. But the vaccine will prevent you from hospitalisation. You might get a fever for 2-3 days. But mortality will be reduced.”
Sharing a study of the intranasal vaccines under clinical trials, Bharat Biotech’s Dr Raches Ella had in July tweeted that “BBV154 is an intranasal Covid-19 vaccine that may overcome the shortfalls of intramuscular vaccines”.
GEMCOVAC-19, India’s first mRNA vaccine, has been granted emergency use authorisation. Unlike other vaccines, it is not stored in liquid form, and is available in lyophilised or powdered form. It is a two-dose vaccine that needs to be administered intramuscularly in adults with a gap of 28 days. It can be transported to most remote parts of India as it does not require ultra-low temperature storage.
According to a study published by scientific journal Nature, a booster dose of mRNA vaccine increases the capacity of the immune system to produce a broader range of virus-neutralising antibodies.
Other Vaccines in Use in India
Around 75% of adults in India are vaccinated against Covid-19. At present, Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik vaccines are being administered in India.
Covaxin, manufactured by Bharat Biotech, is a whole-virion coronavirus vaccine, which is also used to manufacture vaccines against Influenza, Rabies and Hepatitis. While Covishield uses vector based technology used in Ebola vaccines, and is manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.
Russia’s Sputnik vaccine is based on human adenovirus vector platform, and its safety, efficacy and long-term effects have been proven in more than 250 clinical trial over two decades, an official statement had said.
Covovax by the Serum Institute is a localised version of Novavax and is described as a recombinant nanoparticle vaccine. Covovax was approved by DGCI in late 2021 for emergency use. The Covovax vaccine has an efficacy rate of 89% as per the phase 3 clinical trials.
ZyCov-D is world’s first DNA based vaccine, and has been developed in parternship with the Department of Biotechnology under the Mission Covid Suraksha. It has been approved for emergency use in India. The vaccine uses a genetically engineered, non-replicating version of a DNA module known as ‘plasmid’, which are loaded with instructions to make spike protein of SARS-CoV-2
The Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) has granted emergency use authorisation (EUA) for GEMCOVAC-19.
Popular Vaccines Abroad
Moderna and Pfizer are the two most popular Covid vaccines administered in the US. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has two shots given 21 days apart. It uses mRNA technology by sending instructions to host cells for making copies of spike protein.
Moderna is approved for people above 18 years of age. It also uses mRNA technology and has high efficacy at preventing symptomatic disease. It needs to be stored in freezer-level temperatures.
Johnson&Johnson is a one-shot carrier vaccine that has been used before for flu. However, mid-2021, the government had to put a pause on the vaccine after recipients developed rare blood clots. Most of the cases occurred within 42 days after vaccination.
Novovax is being used in 40 other countries apart from the US, and has 90% efficacy in its clinical trial. The vaccine is protein adjuvant and can be stored in a refrigerator, making it easier to distribute.
Oxford/ Astrazeneca is another popular vaccine, which was rolled out in the UK in winter 2020.
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