Question

Covaxin, a vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech for covid-19 is

• A. DNA based vaccine
• B. Protein based Vaccine
• C. Inactivated Virus based vaccine
• D. mRNA based vaccine

Hint:

• Inactivated Vaccines Use killed versions of the pathogen. Cannot cause disease. Often require multiple doses (boosters). Example: Polio (Salk), Flu shot, Covaxin.
• Live-Attenuated Vaccines Use weakened (attenuated) versions of the living pathogen. Strong, long-lasting immune response. Small risk of causing mild illness or reverting to virulence (rare). Example: MMR, Chickenpox, Polio (Sabin).
• Subunit/Recombinant/Polysaccharide/Conjugate Vaccines Use specific pieces of the pathogen (like proteins, sugars). Strong immune response to key antigens. Example: Hepatitis B, Pertussis (acellular), Shingles.
• Toxoid Vaccines Use inactivated toxins produced by bacteria. Example: Tetanus, Diphtheria.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

To determine the type of vaccine Covaxin is, we need to understand the different types of vaccine technologies currently in use:

• DNA-based vaccines: These vaccines use a small, circular piece of DNA encoding the antigen(s) to elicit an immune response.
• Protein-based vaccines: These are made using the proteins of the virus as antigens to stimulate immunity.
• Inactivated Virus-based vaccines: These use virus particles that are grown in culture and killed so they cannot cause disease, but can still provoke an immune response.
• mRNA-based vaccines: These use messenger RNA to instruct cells to produce viral antigens and generate an immune response.

Covaxin is developed by Bharat Biotech and employs the inactivated virus method, meaning it uses virus particles that are grown in a culture and inactivated so they can't cause the disease, but still generate an immune response.

Therefore, the correct answer is: Inactivated Virus-based vaccine.