COVID vaccination: DCGI asks Bharat Biotech to provide more data on Covaxin for below 12-year-olds

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The Subject Expert Committee (SEC) of the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has asked Bharat Biotech for additional data on its COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, for administering it to children aged between 2-12 years, said sources.

This development comes after the Subject Expert Committee discussed recommendations for the restricted emergency of Covaxin in children aged between 2-12 years. No recommendations have been made as of now, sources told news agency ANI.

However, the SEC, after a meeting on Thursday (April 21), has recommended restricted emergency use of Biological E's COVID-19 vaccine, Corbevax, in children aged 5-12 years, said sources. 

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Now, DCGI will be giving approval for its emergency use authorisation. The Corbevax vaccine is currently being administered to children in the age group of 12-14 years. The vaccination drive for children in the age group of 15-18 years commenced on January 3 this year. 

They are being administered Covaxin. The drive later expanded on March 16 to include children aged between 12-14 years. They are being administered Corbevax.

Overall, India is currently administering two COVID-19 vaccines to children above 12 years. 

(With ANI inputs)