From Today, the All India Medical Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) will begin screening children for clinical trials of the India-made Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin. AIIMS Patna began a similar trial for Bharat Biotech’s children aged 12 to 18 years old last week.
AIIMS Delhi is now beginning the screening process before beginning the actual trials, according to news agency ANI, after receiving permission from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
The DCGI’s approval came after a Subject Expert Committee (SEC) recommendation on May 12, according to the report.
After Bharat Biotech’s vaccine received DCGI approval to conduct clinical trials on children on May 11, paediatric trials for Covaxin began last Tuesday at AIIMS Patna.
“After these trials, the age group will be 6-12 years and then 2-6 years but now we have started trials in the age group of 12-18 years,” said Dr Prabhat Kumar Singh, Director, AIIMS, Patna.
Dr Singh informed that 54 children registered for the trials of which 16 were in the age group of 12-18. Apart from physical examination, RT-PCR tests were also conducted on these children to check for Covid-19 antibodies or any other pre-existing diseases, he added.
On January 16, this year, India began the world’s largest vaccination drive in a phased manner, with healthcare workers being the first to be vaccinated.
On February 2, frontline workers began receiving vaccinations.
The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination began on March 1 for people over the age of 60 and those aged 45 and up who have certain co-morbid conditions. From April 1, all people over the age of 45 in India will be vaccinated.
The third vaccination phase began on May 1 for those between the ages of 18 and 44.
Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, AstraZeneca’s Covishield, and Russia’s Sputnik V are the three Covid-19 vaccines available in India. India is where Covaxin and Covishield are made.
