In leg-up to vaccination, SII’s Covovax on CoWin as heterologous booster, to cost Rs 225

Amid rising infection, SII had sought the inclusion of Covovax as a heterologous booster on the CoWin web portal last week.

(Representational image) A health worker preparing to administer Covid vaccine at a hospital in New Delhi on 16 January 2021 | Photo: Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint

New Delhi: Serum Institute of India’s (SII) Covid vaccine Covovax will be soon available as a heterologous booster for adults on the government web portal CoWin and will cost Rs 225 per dose, exclusive of GST.

Amid rising infection, SII had sought the inclusion of Covovax as a heterologous booster on CoWin last week.

Last month, the COVID-19 Working Group — headed by N.K. Arora — had also recommended to the health ministry that Covovax be included on the CoWIN portal as a heterologous booster dose for adults who have been vaccinated with two doses of either Covishield or Covaxin.

On 16 January, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approved the market authorisation for Covovax for those who have been administered two doses of either Covishield or Covaxin.

Covovax has also been approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).

The DCGI had approved Covovax for restricted use in emergency situations in adults on December 28, 2021, in the 12-17 age group on March 9, 2022, and in the 7-11 age group on June 28, 2022, subject to certain conditions.