Corbevax suggested for pregnant women

The Covid-19 working group has recommended to the National Technical Advisory Group on immunisation (NTAGI) to use the newly approved Corbevax among pregnant and lactating women. Biological E's Corbevax is yet to be included in the vaccination drive.

The company had started manufacturing in December and is expected to supply 50 million doses of the vaccine to the government this month.

"The available data on vaccine safety in pregnancy from development and reproductive toxicity (DART) studies of Corbevax vaccine are reassuring and hence it has been recommended that Corbevax can be given to pregnant and lactating women," said a government official, who did not wish to be identified.


The NTAGI will be taking up the recommendation in its next meeting.

Hesitancy to get the Covid-19 vaccine is found to be higher among expectant mothers in India. "In India we have seen that pregnant women haven't accepted the vaccine," said the official, adding that pregnant women form the highest number of the unvaccinated population in the country.

About four million pregnant women have taken the Covid jab ever since the vaccine drive rolled out, which is a minuscule number given that estimates show there are 30 million of them in the country at any point.