The ideal time for a booster dose for the COVID-19 vaccine is six months after the second dose, Bharat Biotech Chairman and Managing Director Krishna Ella said on 10 November, and also emphasised the importance of having a nasal vaccine.

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"The ideal time for a booster dose is six months after the second dose," Ella stated. Bharat Biotech is also looking at nasal vaccine as a booster dose as its scaling up capacity is very easy when compared with Covaxin, he added.

About the importance of nasal vaccines, he said the entire world is looking at nasal vaccines. That is the only way to stop transmission. Everyone is trying to figure out the immunology and fortunately, Bharat Biotech has figured it out.

"We are coming out with a nasal vaccine, we are thinking that Covaxin can be given as the first dose, the second dose can be given a nasal, that is also strategically, scientifically very important because with the second dose if it is a nasal one, you stop the transmission of the virus...," Ella said.

Nasal vaccine works well if someone has been infected or if someone has been vaccinated with one dose, he added.