The trials of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin on children are underway and the results are expected by September, said AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria. The second dose of Covaxin is likely to be administered to children aged 2-6 years in trials next week. Covaxin has overall efficacy of 77.8% against COVID and 65.2 percent protection against the new Delta variant.
On June 22, Randeep Guleria had told that a Covid-19 vaccine would be available for children by September. Besides Covaxin, the trials for Zydus Cadila’s vaccine for children are also currently underway in the country. Reports said on Monday that the Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company will administer its indigenous anti-Covid shot to children in the age group of 2-6 as part of its vaccination trials for kids. In view of a probable third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, vaccination trials on children have been underway in the country. 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.
