According to Live Hindustan, which cites an India Today report, Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Limited may administer a second dose of its anti-Covid shot, Covaxin, to children in the age group of 2-6 next week as part of its vaccination trials for kids.
The second dosage of Covaxin has already been delivered to youngsters aged 6 to 12 years old, according to the article, which cited authorities from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Vaccination experiments on children have been ongoing in the country in anticipation of a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
Vaccine studies for children are done by categorizing them according to their age, with 175 individuals from each age group participating. An interim report is planned by the end of August once every participant has received a second dosage. On the basis of this intermediate trial data, a judgment will be made about whether or not the vaccine is safe for children to use.
The projected release date of the interim report coincides with a previous prediction made by AIIMS director Dr. Randeep Guleria in June, who predicted that Covaxin will be authorized for children in September.
Experts anticipate that Covaxin, along with Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila’s three-dose injection, ZyCov-D, would be cleared for children in the near future. While Covaxin is already being utilized in a countrywide immunization campaign, Zydus Cadila filed an emergency use authorization (EUA) application for their vaccine candidate for anyone aged 12 and above on July 1.
Government authorities, on the other hand, have consistently said that “additional data” is needed before a children’s anti-coronavirus vaccination may be made accessible.
All Indian nationals over the age of 18 are currently eligible to apply.
Vaccination against Covid-19 is currently available to all Indian people over the age of 18. According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a total of 406,481,493 vaccine doses have been given since the vaccination drive began on January 16.
