Covid-19 vaccine trials for children: Second dose of Covaxin to be administered next week

New Delhi, July 19: Bharat Biotech is likely to administer second dose of its Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin for children aged 2-6 years, next week. Trials for Covid-19 vaccine for kids are underway in India ahead of probable third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to India Today, the trial is conducted by segregating children into categories according to their age, in which 175 children of each age group have been included. An interim report is expected by the end of August, which will determine how safe the vaccine is for children.

India currently has three vaccines approved for adults - Covaxin, Serum Institute of India's Covishield and Russia's Sputnik V, but there are none for children.

If the phase 2/3 trials on children are successful, Covaxin will be used to inoculate India's children. The trials also assume significance as the government planning to reopen schools and colleges amid steady decline in covid cases.

Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila is testing its COVID-19 vaccine candidate on children of 12-18 years, apart from adults, and the company is likely to be announced soon.

Also, Pfizer vaccine, is also under consideration for children between the age of 12 and 15 years.

Bharat Biotech has completed the phase-1 clinical trials of its intranasal vaccine candidate, BBV154, which is touted as game changer in India's vaccination drive.

According to Bharat Biotech, its intranasal vaccine, BBV154, creates an immune response at the site of infection (in the nasal mucosa) essential for blocking both infection and transmission of Covid-19.

Since it's a nasal vaccine, it is easy for children's vaccination, the trial included children.

Are children at greater risk?

It's highly unlikely that any future wave of Covid-19 by the prevailing variants of coronavirus will disproportionately affect children aged two years or older.