ZyCoV-D, the three-dose Covid-19 vaccine by Zydus Cadila will initially be used in seven states, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. This was stated by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan.

These states have been asked to identify the districts with a high number of those who have been left out from the first dose for the introduction of the vaccine.

The national training process for ZyCoV-D administration has been completed, the statement said.

The seven states have been asked to plan sessions based on the PharmaJet injector and identify vaccinators to be trained for using it for vaccination, it added.

On November 8^th 2021, Zydus Cadila said it had received an order to supply one crore doses of ZyCoV-D to the Indian government at Rs 265 per dose.

"The company has received an order to supply one crore doses of ZyCoV-D, the world's first Plasmid DNA Vaccine, to the Government of India at Rs 265 per dose and the needle-free applicator being offered at Rs 93 per dose, excluding GST," the pharma firm had said in a regulatory filing.

The vaccine will be administered using a needle-free applicator called PharmaJet. 

A needle-free applicator ensures painless intradermal vaccine delivery, which also leads to a significant reduction in any kind of major side-effects.

The three doses of ZyCoV-D are to be administered 28 days apart. The vaccine was given emergency use authorisation (EUA) by the Indian drug regulator on August 20.