India launches its first nasal vaccine on the occasion of its 74th Republic Day. This comes as the pandemic is on the decline in India. However, COVID is on the rise. In other places around the world, such as China, the nasal vaccine has been touted as a booster dose.
It aims to fight against new mutations and boost the immunity. The nasal vaccine has been manufactured by Bharat Biotech. The vaccine is called encovac. It is administered through the nose with a syringe that has no needle. It is injected through a specific nasal spray directly into the respiratory pathways. Once administered, the nasal vaccine will cause the immune system to make proteins in your blood and in your nose to help fight the virus. According to the vaccine makers, it usually takes about two weeks for it to start working.
Compared to vaccinations via syringes and needles, the nasal vaccine is easy to administer, of course, and are cost effective as well. The manufacturer says nasal vaccines are more capable of inoculating crowds against deadly variants of COVID-19.
Last November, the Indian vaccine maker Bharat Biotech got an approval from the drugs controller General of India for restricted use. While it will cost around $10 in the private market, it will be supplied to the Indian government at around $4 per dose. The government is expected to supply it to the public at a subsidized rate as well.
The reports say that 2.19 billion vaccine doses have already been administered in India. The nasal boosters are expected to help strengthen the population's immunity.
India has launched the first intranasal vaccine. This vaccine has been launched by the Indian Health Minister along with other officials on India's Republic Day. Now, this vaccine is a way, essentially, that provides help to many low income and middle income countries in terms of vaccinating their population. India, of course, is a major center of pharma. And amid the COVID crisis, we saw India exporting COVID vaccines to almost 100 countries. Many of these countries are very grateful to new Delhi for that, but essentially this vaccine can be delivered through the nasal passage and to the government. It will cost around rs325 and in private hospitals around a hundred rupees, but essentially an important development when it comes to fight against the COVID Pandemic.
