Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin is likely to get the emergency use approval for administration to children between the age of two and eighteen. The subject expert committee on Covid-19 vaccines has reportedly approved the emergency use and also recommended national drug regulator DCGI to grant authorisation. DCGI has already approved Zydus Cadila’s DNA Covid-19 vaccine for children aged above 12.
According to the official website of Covaxin, the vaccine has “proven to neutralize the variants – B.1.1.7 (Alpha) first isolated in UK, P.1- B.1.1.28 (Gamma) & P.2 – B.1.1.28 (Zeta) first isolated in Brazil, B.1.617 (Kappa) first isolated in India, B.1.351 & B.1.617.2 (Beta & Delta) first isolated in RSA & India,” in children. The company also claimed an efficacy data of 65.2% protection against the SARS-CoV-2, B.1.617.2 Delta variant.
Meanwhile, the virus seems to be under control across India. A total of 14,313 fresh infections were registered in past 24 hours in the country while 181 Covid-19 related deaths were reported, as per the government data.
Later this week, experts at the World Health Organisation(WHO) will meet AND decide whether emergency use listing can be granted to Covaxin.