The Drugs Controller General of India has granted emergency use authorisation to Covid-19 vaccine Corbevax for inoculating those aged between 12-18, the jab’s manufacturer Biological E on Monday.

Vaccination for those aged between 15-18 years began on January 3 after the government cleared the Covaxin shot for adolescents. An expert panel of the government is likely to hold a meeting soon on including children up to 12 years in the national vaccination programme, reported The Indian Express.

On August 20, pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila’s needle-free vaccine ZyCoV-D had also received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India for use in children aged 12 to 18. However, the vaccine has not yet been used in the inoculation process.

On February 14, the Covid-19 subject expert committee of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation had recommended granting emergency use authorisation to Corbevax based on Biological E’s application for use in those aged between 12-18 years, according PTI.

A senior government official, who did not want to be identified, had told Scroll.in in December that the Centre has placed an advance order for 30 crore doses of Corbevax with Biological E.

Corbevax is a recombinant protein sub-unit vaccine, which is developed from a component of the spike protein on the virus’ surface that helps the body build an immune response to a disease. According to Biological E, the vaccine is administered via thge intramuscular route and requires two doses to be taken 28 days apart.

Also read: India has a Covid-19 vaccine for 12-year-olds. Why hasn’t it been rolled out yet?