ZyCov-D's anticipated deployment in the next two weeks has reignited public interest in the nationwide COVID immunisation campaign. This time, though, it's aimed towards youth aged 12 to 18 years. Every doctor's clinic is inundated with inquiries from parents concerned about their children's immunisations. Here, we attempted to answer all FAQs regarding kids' vaccination.

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Question 1. Is it really necessary for me to vaccinate my child?

Answer: Most people believe that because childhood COVID is such a minor illness, there is no need for vaccination. They overlook the fact that youngsters are vulnerable to MIS-C (Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children) after infection with COVID. Experts warn that even children with minor symptoms may spread the illness. According to them, inoculating students is critical before schools can reopen safely. Vaccinating youngsters will also help rebuild trust among parents to send their kids to school as returning to the classroom is essential.

Question 2. Does the vaccine have the potential to change the human genome?

Answer: ZyCov-D is the world's first officially licenced DNA vaccination. Despite their development in the 1990s, these vaccinations have only been used on horses as a preventative measure until now. Misinformation about the vaccine's safety and effectiveness is already rife, and experts are actively engaged in combating it.

Adaptive phase I/ II clinical studies conducted previously revealed that this vaccine has strong immunogenicity, tolerance, and safety profile, according to trial data. The majority of participants did not suffer injection site redness or pain, nor did they have a mild temperature, which is a typical adverse effect after receiving a vaccination.

Question 4. What is the mechanism behind it?

Answer: Plasmid DNA is found in ZyCoV-D. The spike protein from COVID-19 is carried by these plasmids. A sequence for activating the gene may also be found in the files. mRNA is formed once they reach the nuclei of cells and then exits the nucleus to be translated into the spike protein of COVID in the cytoplasm, the cell's main body.

When the immune system detects the spike protein in COVID, it responds by attacking the foreign invader. Other vaccination platforms, such as inactivated vaccines (Covaxin) or viral vector vaccines, use this last phase to teach the body to recognise infections (Covishield). DNA vaccines, on the other hand, must reach the cell's nucleus, unlike mRNA vaccines, which simply need to enter the cell.

Question 5. What is the procedure for administering it?

Answer:

1. The ZyCoV-D is injected into the skin rather than muscle tissue. Experts claim that our skin is more effective than muscular tissue in capturing foreign particles.
2. A jet injector will be used to produce a high-pressure liquid stream that pushes through the skin's top layers and into the underlying tissue. As reported, the imported injector uses a thin stream of fluid that passes through the skin in 1/100th of that time period.
3. In each of the three doses, the device, which is approximately the size of a stapler, is used to deliver 0.1 ml of vaccination dosage to each arm.
4. The vaccine will be administered in three doses over the course of 56 days, starting on day zero and ending on day 28. To be completely protected, a person must get six injections of this vaccine, each of which contains two doses to be given on each arm.
5. The three-dose vaccine is priced at Rs. 1,900, including taxes, according to the company's proposal. Government reports, on the other hand, claim that the business is still negotiating on the price.

Question 6. What is the best way to store it?

Answer: It is considerably more stable than mRNA vaccines and may be kept in the fridge for months at a time.

Disclaimer- The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of M3 India.

The author is a practising super specialist from New Delhi.