According to sources, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated during a meeting of the BJP’s parliamentary party that the government would likely begin immunising infants next month. Experts believe this will be a significant step in breaking the transmission cycle and reopening schools across the country, despite concerns of a possible third Covid wave.
Dr. NK Arora, the head of the National Expert Group on Vaccines, told NDTV earlier this month that immunisation for children would begin in September with the Zydus vaccine for youngsters aged 12 to 18. Children’s vaccines are being tested by Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Zydus Cadila’s candidate. The results of the Covaxin trials should be available by September, according to AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria.
“I believe Zydus has completed the trials and is awaiting emergency approval.” By August or September, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin studies should be completed, and we should have received approval. The FDA has already approved the Pfizer vaccine (US regulator – Food and Drug Administration). By September, we should be able to begin immunising children.
So far, India has administered approximately 44 crore vaccination doses. By the end of this year, the government intends to vaccinate all adults. The European Medicines Agency authorised Moderna’s coronavirus vaccination for youth aged 12 to 17 on Friday. The Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccination for children aged 12 to 15 years old was approved by the US in May.
