Covaxin: Manufacturer, dose schedule, efficacy rate, possible side effects and price in India

New Delhi, Jan 16: Covaxin has been developed by Indian biotechnology company Bharat Biotech and clinical research body Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

It is being said, Covaxin an inactivated vaccine which follows one of the oldest methods for vaccinating people.

Covaxin injects inactivated viruses in the body to trigger an immune response. These whole batches of coronavirus must be grown, "killed" using a chemical or heat and then made into a vaccine, making it a longer process.

Effectiveness

Covaxin is safe and provides a robust immune response, said Drugs Controller General of India VG Somani. The vaccine is yet to complete late-stage human clinical trials in India and no efficacy rate has yet been made public.

Dosage and storage

The vaccine will be administered in two doses and stored at 2-8° degrees Celsius. While the DCGI has not clarified the intervals between the shots, Bharat Biotech had earlier said the efficacy is to be determined only after 14 days post the second dose.

Mild adverse reactions

Among mild adverse events following immunisation, the fact sheet includes: injection site pain; headache; fatigue; fever; body ache; abdominal pain; nausea and vomiting; dizziness-giddiness; tremor; sweating; cold; cough; and injection site swelling.

Rare/serious adverse reactions

None are listed. Bharat Biotech, the manufacturer, has said no serious adverse event has been reported in either phase 1 or phase 2 trials - or in the ongoing large phase 3 trials with 25,800 participants, it has said.

Pricing

Bharat Biotech will price the vaccine at Rs 350, say various reports. The firm has already signed a letter of intent (LoI) with Ocugen to co-develop Covaxin for the US market.
Beneficiaries who receive Covaxin will be paid compensation if they suffer adverse event due to the vaccine. The compensation was among the points highlighted on top of the consent form shared with the vaccination centre on Friday.