The preliminary analysis of an ongoing safety and immunogenicity trial has indicated that Vaxzevria — a vaccine invented by the University of Oxford — when given as a third dose booster, increased antibody response to the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

In a statement the vaccine manufacturers yesterday, January 13, also said that Vaxzevria, when given as a third dose booster, increased the immune response to Beta, Delta, Alpha and Gamma SARS-CoV-2 variants.

The results were observed among individuals previously vaccinated with either Vaxzevria or an mRNA vaccine.

“Vaxzevria has protected hundreds of millions of people from COVID-19 around the world and these data show that it has an important role to play as a third dose booster, including when used after other vaccines. Given the ongoing urgency of the pandemic and Vaxzevria’s increased immune response to the Omicron variant, we will continue to progress regulatory submissions around the world for its use as a third dose booster,” Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical industry company, was quoted in a statement dated January 13.

Under a sub-license agreement with AstraZeneca, the vaccine is manufactured and supplied by the Serum Institute of India as Covishield.

In a tweet, Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla said: “This is encouraging news, as per Professor Sir Andrew J Pollard, chief investigator and director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, new data from ongoing Astazeneca/Oxford vaccine trials has shown that three doses give good protection against Omicron.”

The Vaxzevria vaccine has been granted emergency use in more than 90 countries. The company is submitting the additional data to health authorities around the world given the urgent need for third dose boosters.

On January 10, India began administering the third dose of COVID19 vaccine as the ‘precaution’ dose to healthcare workers, front line workers, and people aged 60 years and above with comorbidities. 

Also Read: No need for new registration for ‘precaution’ dose of COVID19 vaccine: Centre

The ‘precaution’ vaccine dose will be the same as the first two doses received by the beneficiaries. For instance, those who received Covaxin will receive Covaxin while those who were inoculated with Covishield will receive a Covishield booster dose.

Also Read: Explained: For how long do the vaccines offer protection against COVID19?

Starting January 10, over three million (3,397,144) ‘precaution’ doses have been administered to eligible beneficiaries in India. The country is currently administering three COVID19 vaccines — Serum Institute of India’s Covishield, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Russian-made Sputnik V — for its vaccination drive.

Meanwhile, on January 11, a Technical Advisory Group on COVID19 Vaccine Composition established by the World Health Organization (WHO) has suggested that the current COVID19 vaccines “may need to be updated” to ensure they are effective against new variants such as Omicron.

Also Read: COVID19 vaccines ‘may need to be updated’: WHO body

India has logged 264,202 new COVID19 cases in the last 24 hours, as per the Union health ministry. So far, 5,753 total Omicron cases have been detected in the country.