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Covid vaccines exclusively for children likely to be rolled out in 2 weeks

With covid vaccinations for adults taking the stride in the country, the government is planning to introduce inoculations for children below the age of 18. These vaccines, expected to be released for administration in the next few weeks, are going to be exclusively for kids and adolescents across the country. One of them is likely to be rolled out in the next 2 weeks. 

The development has come amid record vaccinations given to adults, allowing the attention to be shifted to the younger clan of the nation to control the pandemic.  

A senior State Health official close to the progress said there are certain solid indications that speak about the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)’s plan to approve the introduction of covid vaccine specifically made for children between 12 to 18 users of age in India.  

As the existing vaccines in the market are not produced for children, two new candidates are in the forefront as they have tested among adolescents. These include Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin being made in Hyderabad and Gujarat-based drug-maker Zydus Cadila’s ZyCov-D.  

Zydus Cadila received emergency use authorization for its ZyCov-D in August by the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI). The vaccine, which is a non-needle based one, will be given to children between 12-17 years of age in 3 doses.  

It is likely to become the first vaccine contender in the market as reports suggest ZyCov-D could be rolled out in the next 2 weeks. The 3 doses of covid are expected to be priced at Rs 1900. 

Meanwhile, Bharat Biotech of Hyderabad submitted the trial data for children aged 2 to 18 years to the DCGI after the completion of clinical trials. 1000 volunteers were part of the 3 phase trials for ZyCov-D while 525 volunteers became part of the Covaxin trials. Children aged 2-17 years participated in these.  

A third contender, Serum Institute of India, has also jumped into children’s vaccine-making. The regulatory body has given SII permission to conduct clinical trials of its Covovax vaccine, which is being developed in collaboration with Novovax, a US-based biotech firm. The trials will see the participation of 100 children aged 7-11 years.