Types of COVID-19 Vaccines: How Each Works and Which Ones India Approved (2026)

Quick answer: COVID-19 vaccines come in six main types: inactivated (whole killed virus), viral vector, protein subunit, mRNA, DNA, and nasal (given as drops in the nose instead of an injection). India has approved at least one vaccine of every type. Covaxin is inactivated, Covishield is a viral vector, Corbevax and Covovax are protein subunit, ZyCoV-D is DNA, Gennova's GEMCOVAC-OM is mRNA, and Bharat Biotech's iNCOVACC is nasal.

All of them teach your immune system to recognise the coronavirus's spike protein; they differ in how they deliver that lesson. Most Indians got Covishield or Covaxin in 2021–22. Going by the latest official statements, there is no national call in India for everyone to take another dose, although the World Health Organization (WHO) still advises repeat doses for some high-risk groups.

The six vaccine types, in plain words

Every COVID-19 vaccine is built around the spike protein, the part the virus uses to enter our cells.

1. Inactivated (whole killed virus)

The virus is grown in a lab and then chemically killed, so it can't multiply or cause illness. It's a decades-old method. Example in India: Covaxin (Bharat Biotech).

2. Viral vector

A harmless adenovirus (a cold virus modified so it can't replicate) carries the spike-protein gene into your cells, which briefly make the spike. Examples: Covishield (Serum Institute of India's version of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine), Sputnik V and Sputnik Light.

3. Protein subunit

The vaccine contains only a lab-made piece of the virus, the spike protein or its receptor-binding domain (RBD), usually with an adjuvant to boost the response. Hepatitis B vaccines work similarly. Examples: Corbevax (Biological E) and Covovax (Serum Institute of India).

4. mRNA

Short-lived genetic instructions (messenger RNA) in a tiny fat bubble tell your cells to make the spike for a while; the mRNA is then broken down. It does not change your DNA. Examples approved in India: Moderna's vaccine (imported by Cipla), and Gennova's HGCO19 and Omicron-specific GEMCOVAC-OM.

5. DNA

A small ring of DNA (a plasmid) carrying the spike gene is delivered into skin cells. Example: ZyCoV-D (Zydus), described by its makers as the world's first plasmid DNA COVID-19 vaccine.

6. Nasal

iNCOVACC (Bharat Biotech, based on a vaccine licensed from Washington University in St. Louis) is technically a viral-vector vaccine, but it is given as drops in the nose. The aim is protection where the virus first enters.

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Which COVID vaccines are approved in India: the full table

Based on the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) list of approved COVID-19 vaccines as updated in April 2026 (reported by Medical Dialogues). "Emergency use" means restricted emergency use authorisation.

Approval on paper doesn't mean a vaccine is on sale near you. And Pfizer–BioNTech, the best-known mRNA vaccine abroad, is not on India's list: Pfizer withdrew its emergency-use application in February 2021.

What the government programme actually used

In practice, the national programme ran mostly on Covishield and Covaxin, which together covered close to 100 crore people, according to ThePrint. Corbevax was used for children aged 12–14 when that age group became eligible from 16 March 2022. Precaution (booster) doses were opened to health workers and older people in January 2022 and later to all adults, but uptake stayed low: about 22.7 crore people took one.

Serum Institute has said it stopped making Covishield in December 2021, and Down To Earth reported Covaxin production ended in January 2022; large stocks later expired.

Is COVID vaccination still offered in India in 2026?

• No routine booster call. During the mid-2025 rise in cases, ICMR Director-General Dr Rajiv Bahl said there was no need for a booster dose at that time, and the Health Ministry described most cases as mild.

• Very limited supply. In June 2025, Down To Earth found only one site in the country listed as vaccinating on CoWIN, and reported that many states had no stock.

• An updated vaccine has been approved. The April 2026 CDSCO list shows a JN.1-variant version of Covovax approved for people 12 and older as a single dose. We could not find an official announcement that it is part of any government programme or widely available in hospitals.

There has been no newer Health Ministry guidance (as of November 2026) recommending boosters for any group. If you're at higher risk, ask your doctor or nearest government hospital what's available.

What WHO advises for high-risk groups

WHO's COVID-19 fact sheet) (updated November 2025) says revaccination may be needed 6–12 months after the last dose for high-priority groups. These are older adults, people with severe obesity or several significant long-term illnesses (such as diabetes together with heart or kidney disease), people with weak immune systems, pregnant women, and health workers with direct patient contact. WHO says the vaccines still protect strongly against severe illness and death but do little to stop spread.

Whether this applies to you is a decision for your doctor.

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Side effects: what's common and what's rare

Common and short-lived (all types): pain or swelling where the vaccine was given, tiredness, headache, fever or body ache for a day or two.

Very rare, type-specific:

• Viral-vector vaccines (Covishield, Janssen): a rare clotting condition called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), meaning blood clots along with low platelets. India's national AEFI committee reviewed early data in May 2021 and found 26 potential cases, a reporting rate of 0.61 per million Covishield doses. It found none after Covaxin and said Covishield's benefits clearly outweighed its risks. In 2024, AstraZeneca acknowledged in court documents that its vaccine can cause TTS in very rare cases. Serum Institute says TTS was listed in Covishield's package insert from 2021.

• mRNA vaccines: WHO's vaccine safety committee said in 2021 that very rare cases of heart inflammation (myocarditis) were likely linked to mRNA vaccines, mostly in young males and usually mild.

When does TTS happen? It typically appears within the first few weeks after vaccination, mostly after the first dose. National IMA co-chair Dr Rajeev Jayadevan told the media in 2024 that it was seen only in the first month after the first dose. If you got Covishield in 2021 or 2022, that window has long passed.

Sudden deaths in young adults: In July 2025, the Health Ministry said studies by ICMR and NCDC found no link between COVID-19 vaccination and unexplained sudden deaths in adults aged 18–45. A one-year AIIMS Delhi autopsy study, published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research in December 2025, also found no significant association; coronary artery disease was the most common cause of death.

When to see a doctor

Get medical help promptly for severe headache, chest pain, breathlessness, leg swelling, unusual bruising or tiny red skin spots, blurred vision, one-sided weakness, or fits, especially within a few weeks of any vaccine. Also talk to a doctor before any vaccine if you're pregnant, have a weak immune system or have had a serious allergic reaction before. For everyday habits that support health, see our guide to science-backed ways to boost immunity.

Frequently asked questions

Which COVID vaccine type is Covishield?

Covishield is a viral-vector vaccine. It uses a modified chimpanzee adenovirus to carry the spike-protein gene.

Is Covaxin an mRNA vaccine?

No. Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine, made from whole coronavirus that has been killed so it can't cause infection. India's mRNA options are Moderna's vaccine and Gennova's HGCO19 and GEMCOVAC-OM.

Do I need a COVID booster in India now?

There is no current national recommendation for everyone to take another dose. WHO advises repeat doses for high-risk groups such as older adults and people with weak immunity, so if you're in one of those groups, ask your doctor what's suitable and available.

I took Covishield in 2021. Should I worry about blood clots now?

TTS is very rare and typically appears within a few weeks of vaccination, so a dose taken years ago is not considered an ongoing risk. Any new symptoms like severe headache, leg swelling or chest pain should be checked by a doctor promptly, whatever the cause.

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