No evidence that third wave will affect kids more: AIIMS chief

New Delhi, May 21: Will children be impacted in next Covid wave? There is not enough evidence to say that the third wave is going to predominantly affect the kids, said AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria.

Allaying the fears that the third wave of the coronavirus might affect children, Randeep Guleria said "there is not enough evidence to say that the third wave is going to predominantly affect the children. I think even in the coming wave will be protected because of the very nature of the virus that it causes less infection in children."

"We will have some degree of protection for children because there are trials of vaccines for children and data should be out soon. Most vaccinologists think that the vaccine should be safe in children...Hopefully, in the next 3-4 months we will have vaccine approved for children," he was quoted saying by News 18.

"There are multiple factors which could be the related to why children are not infected so much. One factor is that the ace receptors to which the virus binds itself to the human cells are relatively less in children as compared to adults," he said.

India is all geared up for clinical trials on the efficacy of Covaxin in children between 2-18 years of age amid reports of a potential third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The vaccine, produced by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and backed by the Indian Council of Medical Research, has already been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India for phase II and III clinical trials in children.

An intramuscular route will be used in two doses during the trial at an interval of 28 days. Following this they would be kept under observation to see how many develop infections.

It may be recalled that the Centre for Disease Control, USA had recommended that all those above 12 years should get the vaccine against COVID-19.