Covid vaccines for children around the world: All you should know
Children are at a huge risk of COVID-19 infection, especially with the mutations the virus is going through. As India braces for the third wave, here is a look at vaccine choices that are available for young kids around the world.
With the COVID-19 infection spreading at fast rates, there is immense concern over health and safety in each and every household. Recently, the Government of India announced that teenagers in the age group of 15-18 are eligible for vaccination in the country. As worried parents scramble to ensure their kids' safety by enrolling them in the nationwide vaccination drive, we bring to you the choice of vaccines that are available for children as young as 2 years around the world.
Vaccine drive for kids begins in India
Covid-19 vaccination for children in the age group of 15-18 years began across the country on January 3. The children are being administered the first dose of Covaxin. During the first three days, over 1.06 crore children received the jab.
Indian kids administered with first vaccine dose
As of now, only Bharat Biotech's indigenously-made Covaxin is available for vaccinating the 15-18 years age group. According to the Health Ministry, additional doses of Covaxin will be sent to the states and UTs for administering the vaccine to this population category.
India approved Cadila's (CADI.NS) jab for emergency use in children over 12 - though this has yet to be rolled out.
Pfizer-BioNTech
Pfizer was approved for kids ages 5-11 in October 2021. It was authorized for kids ages 12-15 in May 2021 and is fully FDA approved for people ages 16 and older. The European Medicines Agency has approved the use of Pfizer-BioNTech's lower-dose vaccine on the 5-11 age group in the EU nations. It is the most used vaccine around the world for kids.
Comirnaty and Moderna
Switzerland has approved the Comirnaty vaccine for kids in the age group of 5-11. Clinical trial results show that the vaccine is safe and effective in this age group. The Comirnaty vaccine is administered in two doses of ten microgrammes three weeks apart. Moderna jab has also been approved in the country for kids in the same age group.
Sinopharm and one Sinovac
China has approved two Sinopharm and one Sinovac vaccine for children as young as three. Indonesia lowered the age group of kids to 6 who can be given Sinovac shot while and Hong Kong lowered it further down to 3 years. Argentina is vaccinating children as young as three with Sinopharm's shot.
Soberana 2
Cuba and Venezuela are administering Soberana shots to children as young as two years of age.