The ideal time for a booster dosefor COVID-19 vaccine is six months after the second
dose, Bharat Biotech Chairman and Managing Director Krishna Ellasaid on Wednesday, and
also emphasised the importance of having a nasal vaccine. He also pointed out that his
company was the first in the world to develop a Zika vaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Taking the Covaxin vaccine by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed confidence in
Indian Science, he said at the Times Now Summit 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The ideal time for a booster dose is six months after the second dose,” Ella stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bharat Biotech is also looking at nasal vaccine as a booster dose as its scaling up capacity is
very easy when compared with Covaxin, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
About the importance of nasal vaccine, he said the entire world is looking at nasal vaccines.
That is the only way to stop transmission. Everyone is trying to figure out the immunology
and fortunately, Bharat Biotech has figured it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We are coming out with a nasal vaccine, we are thinking that Covaxin can be given as first
dose, the second dose can be given a nasal, that is also strategically, scientifically very
important because with the second dose, if it is a nasal one, you stop the transmission of the
virus\u2026,” Ella said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nasal vaccine works well if someone has been infected or if someone has been vaccinated
with one dose, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
About the PM taking the Covaxin shot, he said, “What would a scientist like to have? A
country head taking his vaccine. That is the best satisfaction a scientist can get\u2026 It shows
confidence in the Indian science, confidence in the startup, and confidence in our
innovation\u2026”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking about a vaccine for Zika, Ella said Bharat Biotech is ready with a vaccine for Zika
virus. Phase I is complete. The government has to take up more trials because there are
more cases now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We were the first company in the world to develop the Zika vaccine in 2014\u2026 We were the
first one to file for a global patent for Zika vaccine”, he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Taking the Covaxin vaccine by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed confidence in
\nIndian Science, he said at the Times Now Summit 2021.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10399,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[87],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-resources"],"yoast_head":"\n