Intranasal Covid booster gets nod for restricted use

New Delhi: The Drugs Controller General of India's (DCGI) has given approval to vaccine manufacturer Bharat Biotech's Intranasal 'Five Arms' Covid 19 booster dose for restricted use.

A source said that the emergency use authorisation (EUA) has been given to the nasal vaccine iNCOVACC for restricted emergency use as the third dose for adults irrespective of having been administered Covaxin or Covishield vaccine doses. As per the vaccine manufacturer, the nasal route has excellent potential for vaccination due to the organised immune systems of the nasal mucosa. Thus, intranasal immunisation of ChAd-SARS-CoV-2-S can create an immune response in the nose, which is the point of entry for the virus -- thereby protecting against disease, infection, and transmission.

The nasal vaccine can be taken after six months of the second dose. As this is non-invasive and needle-free, it becomes easy to administer.

Bharat Biotech claimed that the intranasal vaccine stimulates a broad immune response. It is likely to block both infection and transmission of Covid-19.