New Delhi: Children during the launch of a mobile vaccination centre
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi is all set to conduct the trial of Covaxin's second dose on children aged 2-6 years. The trial will begin next week. AIIMS had previously vaccinated children aged 6-12 with the second dose of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin.
Trials for coronavirus vaccine for children are underway in the country ahead of an anticipated third wave of the pandemic. Earlier, Dr Randeep Guleria, AIIMS director, had informed that the Covid-19 vaccine for children could become available in September. AIIMS Delhi is one of the centers to conduct vaccine trials on the below 18 age group.
On Tuesday, the government had informed that Bharat Biotech's Covaxin is currently undergoing the process of acquiring WHO's pre-qualification. Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) has already received the pre-qualification.
Meanwhile, the government had earlier informed the Delhi High Court that Zydus Cadila has concluded the clinical trial of its DNA-based Covid-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D for the 12-18 age group and that it could soon be available.
In an affidavit dated 15 July, Satyendra Singh, Under Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said, "It is submitted that Zydus Cadila which is developing a DNA vaccine has successfully concluded its clinical trial for the 12-18 age group."
Singh further said that Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila's DNA vaccine is "subject to the statutory permissions, the same may be available in the near future for children of the 12-18 age group ".
