Zydus Cadila's ZyCoV-D vaccine against COVID-19 will soon be a part of India's mass inoculation drive, Health Secretary announced, adding that talks were underway with the manufacturer on pricing issues.

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Addressing a press briefing on the COVID situation across the country, the health secretary on 30th September said the price of the jab, which is needle-less and requires three doses, would be different from the existing vaccines.

"As far as the price of the vaccine at which it will be procured is concerned, we are in conversations with the manufacturer. Since it is a three-dose vaccine and comes with a needle-less delivery system, it would have a differential pricing than the existing vaccines that are being used in the vaccination drive."

Without giving any timeline for the roll-out, he said that the Zydus Cadila vaccine will not be brought in the market in the short run, but will be part of India's COVID-19 vaccination programme. The ZyCov-D vaccine was approved by India's regulatory authority on August 20. The three-dose DNA built vaccine has 66.6 per cent efficacy against COVID, according to the manufacturer.