Supply of Needle-Free Corona Vaccine started: Currently to be used in 7 states, Zydus Cadila will give one dose of ZyCoV-D for Rs 358

The supply of ZyCoV-D, another vaccine to protect against the coronavirus, has started. The special thing is that this vaccine is needle-free, which means you will not have to bear the pain of any kind of needle prick to apply it. However, like other corona vaccines that have come on the market so far, not two but three doses will be applied. This is the world's first such vaccine, which is DNA-based and needle-free.

This vaccine has been prepared by Ahmedabad-based pharma company Zydus Cadila. From Wednesday, the company started its supply to the central government. At present, the central government has ordered 1 crore doses of it. This vaccine will be administered to those people who have not received a single dose of any vaccine so far.

Supply started to seven states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Punjab

The company has started supplying ZyCOV-D vaccines to the central government as well as seven states. These states include Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Punjab, and Jharkhand.

The company will soon launch it for sale at medical stores in the open market as well. Its price has been kept at Rs 265, while the applicator (device to inject this vaccine) will have to be purchased separately for Rs 93. In this way, its total price will be Rs 358.

The vaccine is for people above 12 years of age

At present, ZyCoV-D will be deployed only to the people of seven states. This is the first such vaccine, which has been approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for people of 12 years and above. DCGI approved its emergency use in August 2021 as the first anti-coronavirus vaccine for children aged 12 to 18 years in the country. Later Bharat Biotech's Covaxin was also allowed to be used for children.

Zydus had tested this vaccine on 28 thousand volunteers. Based on the results of this test, the company claims that the effect of this vaccine against corona has been 66.60%.

Three doses will be taken at an interval of 28 days

It will take three doses of ZyCoV-D. These three doses will be administered at an interval of 28 days i.e. there will be a gap of 56 days between the first dose and the third dose. It can be stored at 2-8 degrees temperature. The company plans to produce 10 to 12 crore doses annually.

This vaccine will be administered with the help of a jet applicator, not a normal syringe

The dose of ZyCoV-D will be given using a disposable jet applicator or pharma jet injector instead of the usual vaccine syringe. This is a device that is of the design of a stapler. A jet injector is the most used in America. This allows the vaccine to be injected into people's skin under high pressure. At the same time, the needle injections that are usually used, fluid, or medicine go into the muscles. Compressed gas or springs are used for pressure in jet injectors.

What are the benefits of injecting a vaccine with a jet injector?

The first advantage is that it reduces the pain for the person who is injecting it because it does not go inside your muscle like a normal injection. The second advantage is that the risk of spreading the infection is much less than the needle injection.