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COVID vaccine for children likely in August, says Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

According to experts, to reach herd immunity it is imperative for children and teens to get coronavirus vaccines.

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COVID-19 vaccine for children is likely to be available by next month i.e. August, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is said to have told PM Narendra Modi at a meeting on July 27.

Mandaviya said at the meeting that the government would likely start vaccinating children next month, according to a report by leading portal citing sources.

According to experts, to reach herd immunity it is imperative for children and teens to get coronavirus vaccines.

Last week, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria had said that children will start getting vaccinated by September 2021. During an interview with a channel, Dr Guleria said that Pfizer and Zydus vaccines should be soon available for children.

In view of a probable third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, vaccination trials on children have been underway in the country. Besides Covaxin, Gujarat-based Zydus Cadila is also testing its anti-COVID shot for children.

Covaxin trials 

Currently, Covaxin trials are underway on children aged 2-6 years in Delhi AIIMS.

The second dose of the COVID-19 vaccines has already been given to children aged between 6 to 12 years at the Delhi AIIMS.

Covaxin is being used on adults in India's ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive since January 16 this year.

Zydus Cadila

Gujarat-based Zydus Cadila is also testing its anti-COVID shot for children.

Vaccine trials for kids are conducted by dividing them into different categories on the basis of their age, with 175 participants from each age group included.

Once every participant has been injected with a second dose, an interim report is expected by the end of August.

On the basis of this interim trial report, a decision will be taken if the vaccine is safe to be used on children.

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