Coronavirus vaccine for children likely to be approved soon: Sources

A decision on the booster is expected to take some time

The Coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine for children is likely to be approved soon, sources said, adding that the decision on the booster shot may take some time.

“Vaccination for children is likely to start in phases, and an approval on the same is expected  as schools have started to open,” said a government official close to the development. He further added that vaccines for children might be opened up in phases, first for vulnerable children and those above 12 years.

A final decision, however, will be taken by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI).

In a meeting held earlier this month, the NTAGI had deliberated both on whether to give a booster dose to people who are immuno-compromised like cancer patients etc, and children. A decision is still pending.

An industry source also said that a decision on children's vaccination is expected soon. “It is expected anytime now. And in January we expect that vaccination for children will be opened,” the source said.

As of now India has only ZyCoV-D, the DNA vaccine for Covid-19 from Zydus Cadila approved for children above 12 years. Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin has received the nod from the subject expert committee for use in children above 2 years, but the drug regulator is yet to approve the same.

In a recent interview, Shahid Jameel, presently a Senior Research Fellow at Green Templeton College at Oxford University, said that delaying immediate boosters could result in 5 per cent more deaths than expected.