The nasal vaccine for covid-19 is rolling out. Hence, experts clear the air and recommend who can and cannot take it. Read to know more.
Can you take the covid-19 nasal vaccine?
Amidst the sharp rise in Covid-19 cases in China, the Indian government approved Bharat Biotech’s intranasal vaccine. The vaccine is approved as a booster dose for people over 18 years of age iNCOVACC received approval from the drug regulator in November. However, it was for emergency use as a heterologous booster dose. This means a person can get it as their third dose despite getting the previous dose of other vaccines.
Experts are recommending the nasal vaccine as a first booster. However, those who have previously received the precautionary dose, need not take it. “It is recommended as the first booster. For example, if a person has already received a precautionary dose, it is not recommended for that person. It is for those who have not yet taken a precautionary dose,” stated Dr. N K Arora. Dr. Arora is involved in the rolling out of the vaccine since the onset of the pandemic.
More on the new booster:
iNCOVACC is a two-drop needle-free vaccine. It is currently available in private hospitals. People can obtain the nasal vaccine after Friday evening upon its introduction to the Co-WIN platform. The booster is stable between 2 to eight degrees Celcius. Thus, it is easy to store and distribute to remote locations. iNCOVACC is a recombinant replicated deficient adenovirus vector vaccine having a pre-fusion stabilized spike protein.
The booster is given via the nose with the help of a nasal spray. Therefore, delivered directly to a person’s respiratory pathway. They also are very easy to administer and help in building immune barriers in the respiratory tract. Hence helping in stopping respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 from entering the body.