New Delhi: Vaccination of children in India can start by September, said AIIMS chief Dr Randeep Guleria, as per a report by NDTV on Saturday. He also said that vaccine from Pfizer, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin and Zydus shots should be soon available for children.
India has given over 42 crore doses of vaccines so far, and the government aims to vaccinate all adults by the end of this year. However, the country is yet to clear a vaccine a children amid fears over a third wave.
On Friday, the European medicines watchdog approved the use of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine for children aged 12 to 17. In May, the United States had authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 15 years old.
Earlier this month, Dr NK Arora, who heads the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration, had said that vaccination for children will start by September with the Zydus vaccine for 12 to 18-year-olds.
"Covaxin phase 3 trials have started and by the end of September, I think we should be there (begin vaccination). I think sometime in the third quarter or by early January-February we should be able to give it to 2 to 18-year-olds," he had said.
The Centre on Friday told the Delhi High Court that clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines for children under 18 years of age are going on and on the verge of completion. A policy will be formed by the government and children will be vaccinated when experts give permission, the Centre said.
The court listed the matter for further hearing on September 6.
Even the Zydus Cadila COVID-19 vaccine may be available in the near future for children in the age group of 12 to 18 years, the Centre in an affidavit told the Delhi High Court on Friday.
