ZyCoV-D VACCINE

ZyCoV-D VACCINE

Part of: Prelims and GS-III- Science & Tech

In News: Union Government has asked seven States to identify high-priority districts where the three-dose ZyCoV-D vaccine could be launched initially.

• Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, will identify the districts with high numbers of people who have not received the first dose, for introduction of ZyCoV-D.
• The ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ nation-wide COVID-19 vaccination campaign has resulted in a hike of 5.9% in the first dose coverage [till November 30] and a jump of 11.7% in the second dose coverage has been registered during the campaign.

About Zycov-D

• Zycov-D is a COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Ahmedabad based Zydus Cadilla group and is the first vaccine in India that can be administered to adults as well as those 12 and above. 
• It’s also the only DNA-based vaccine in the world and can be administered without a needle, minimizing chances of reactions.
• The vaccine has been developed in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology under the ‘Mission COVID Suraksha’.
• The three-dose vaccine once administered produces the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and elicits an immune response. 
• The plug-and-play technology on which the plasmid DNA platform is based can be easily adapted to deal with mutations in the virus, such as those already occurring.
• This is the fifth vaccine, after Covishield, Covaxin, Sputnik V and Moderna to be approved for use in India. 

Read More: Approaches to Vaccine Making