Indigenous covaccine will be given to those in the age group of 12 to 18 years, DCGI approves emergency use

The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved the emergency use of Covaxin, a children's Covid-19 vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech. After the approval of the DGCI, Bharat Biotech's vaccine can currently be administered to adolescents in the age group of 12 to 18 years. Here, PM Narendra Modi also announced to give vaccine to the children of 15 to 18 years from January 3.

The Subject Expert Committee recommended a trial of Covaxin on children on May 12 after warning of a third wave. Considering this, DCGI had approved the trial. Bharat Biotech started trials of Covaxin on children in June.

Zydus Cadila's needle-free vaccine being made for children, ZyCoV-D, has already been approved. After ZyCoV-D, Covaxin is the second vaccine in the country to be approved for emergency use.

Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India (CII), the maker of CoveShield, said last month that the work on developing a vaccine for children is also progressing at a brisk pace. Poonawalla clarified that it will not be Coveshield but Covavax. Poonawalla said that Kovavax will be available in the next six months. Trials are going on.