Vaccination: Only Covaxin likely to be administered for 15-18 years

Vaccination: Only Covaxin likely to be administered for 15-18 years

India will be starting its vaccination programme against Covid for children from January 3, 2022. 

Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is likely to be the only vaccine available for children between the age of 15 and 18 years, though Zydus Cadila's vaccine ZyCoV-D has also been approved by the country's apex drug controller body for administration among children, news agency PTI reported. ZyCoV-D was the first vaccine to have received the nod for administration on children but it may not be part of the immunisation programme starting from January 3 as it has not yet been introduced even for adults. 

ZyCov-D, the world's first DNA-based needle-free vaccine received emergency use authorisation from the drug controller on August 20. On December 25, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin received the go-ahead from the drug controller and on the same day, PM Modi announced India's vaccination programme for children.

 

Chairman of India's COVID-19 Working Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) Dr NK Arora on Sunday said Covaxin has shown a very good immune response in children in the trials. 

 

 

In an exclusive interview to news agency ANI, Dr Arora said, "Children between the age of 12 and 18 years, particularly those in the age group of 15 to 18 years, are very much like adults. Our research within the country also says that almost two-thirds of the deaths which occurred due to COVID in India are within this age group. So, this decision was mainly taken to protect the adolescents."

 

"There are two other advantages of immunizing adolescents. One is that they are quite mobile, they have to go to the school colleges and their risk of getting an infection, particularly in the light of Omicron, is present.

 

Secondly, many times these adolescents get infection into their households where elderly and those with comorbidities can get infected. So, in view of all this, the country has decided to introduce vaccination for children between 15 to 18 years," Dr Arora said.

 

Covaxin has, in fact, shown better results in children than adults, Dr Arora said. "The point is that we have a vaccine, which is approved for children. Covaxin has shown that it has a very good immune response in children in trials. In fact, it is slightly better than adults.

 

Secondly, this vaccine is a safe vaccine, and even local effects like pain, swelling in the arms is much less as compared to adults. We would like to offer this protection to our adolescents," he said.

 

"Although the disease's effects are much milder, but as we know many schools have opened. A lot of parents are still not very confident in sending their children to schools.

So this vaccination drive will also be giving confidence to them. I would say it's a great New Year gift for our adolescents," Dr Arora added.

(With agency inputs)