As foreseen by the experts that Corona cases in children may be increasing in the third wave. So various companies like Pfizer, Bharat biotech are working on Covid-19 Vaccine trials for Children
Covid-19 Vaccine for Children aging 12 to 18, 5 to 12 years is still in the process. One of the ministers of the ruling party admitted that India is taking precautions for the upcoming third wave of Corona Virus which is predicted by the experts which affect children the most.
Covid-19 Vaccination for Child (12-18 age ) (2-12 age )
According to reports which come from the health minister of India recently quoted that many vaccinations in India for children are on trial. In India children of the age group 12-18 Years around 5-6 crore of the population which is quite a number. Thus we cannot bring the vaccination without final trials and goes like some kids get the jab and some do not, the ministry said.
While the government will decide a particular strategy to come up with the Covid-19 vaccination for children In India. Nevertheless, the efficacy report of most of the vaccination trials on 12-18 Indian children is quite impressive. Till now Covaxin is in its third trial on children age group 12-18. They will soon start their trials on children aging between 2 to 12.
In India, the age to get a jab is from 18 years and above. Children who are below 18 years are not eligible for Covid-19 vaccination. Some of the Corona Virus Vaccinations like Moderna, Coavxin, zydus, Sputnik are under trial, and within few weeks they will be able to serve all the age groups of children with vaccination in India.
As told earlier by AIIMS chief Dr. Randeep Guleria to NDTV, that children in India can start getting vaccinated by September, “As early as September, we should see children being vaccinated,” he said, adding that Pfizer, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Zydus shots should be soon available for children.
The government’s Covid panel chief NK Arora has said that details of the vaccination of children between 12 and 17, including prioritizing those with health complications, will be announced before the Zydus Cadila vaccine is rolled out in October, He also suggested that schools should be reopened, citing the latest survey to explain that children are less likely to get severe Covid infection.
“There are 12 crore children in the 12-17 age group. They are unlikely to have serious health complications or death due to the virus. On the contrary, chances of health complications in their parents, who may be between 18-45 years, are likely by 10-15 times. Hence, our priority is to vaccinate this group before we start vaccinating children,” Dr. Arora, who heads the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), said.
He said there are about 44 crore children in the country under the age of 18 and suggested reopening schools was necessary for the “intellectual development” of children.
“Children can go to schools. There is no need for vaccination… but it is necessary to develop a shield around them – by ensuring that their parents and school staff are vaccinated,” he said.
ZyCoV-D will shortly be available for kids
However, it would relief the parents of the children below 18 years to be informed that ZyCoV-D, an indigenously developed drug that is the world’s first DNA-based, needle-free COVID-19 vaccine, received EUA, or Emergency Use Authorisation, on August 20.
Zydus Cadila’s anti-Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine, ZyCov-D, the first approved for use on people as young as 12 in the country, is likely to be available by the first week of October, Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said during a briefing by the health ministry on Thursday.
It still isn’t clear whether the vaccine will form part of the country’s ongoing drive to vaccinate all adults by the end of the year or be reserved for the use of children. Currently, only those over the age of 18 years are eligible for vaccines in India. Responding to reports that the children with co-morbidities that made them more vulnerable to serious illness and death from Covid, Bhushan said this was an issue on which “the standing committee on Covid of NTAGI (National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation) makes a recommendation to the full NTAGI”.
However experts said that if supplies are short then it makes sense to first vaccine children with comorbidities.
“Eventually we will have to vaccine all children and not just those at risk because children can bring the infection home and expose those members who are at high risk, especially the elderly and sick in the family,” said Dr. JS Bhasin, director, and head, department of pediatrics, BLK Hospital.
The vaccine was approved by the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) after its experts assessed results from the company’s phase III clinical trials that showed the vaccine to have an efficacy of 66.6%.
The vaccine is delivered via a “painless” intradermal applicator, making it essentially a needle-free vaccine.
The vaccine had already exhibited robust immunogenicity, tolerability, and safety profile in the adaptive phase one and two trials. Both phase 1 and 2, and phase 3 trials have been monitored by an independent data safety monitoring board, it added.
