Covovax jab manufacturer Serum Institute of India confirmed on Tuesday that around 230 children aged 2-6 were given at least one dose during trials of the Covovax jab, and have become the youngest in the country to get a Covid vaccine. 

The second dose would be administered 21 days from now and the trial, across 10 hospital sites in the country (including two in Pune)  and would conclude by May end.

A senior official said that these 230 children were the youngest age group to receive a Covid shot as part of the advanced human trials of the Covovax vaccine in India.

A total of 920 children participated in Covovax’s Clinical trials. Phase 2 and phase 3 pediatric trials, kicked off in August. 460 were in the 12-17 age group, 230 were in the 7-11 group and currently, another 230 in the 2-6 age group participated. Bharat Biotech is also expanding its pediatric trials of Covaxin among children aged 2-6. 

An official from SII said that firstly they ensured the vaccine safety in adolescents and then included children in the 7-11 age group. Later they started trials amongkids in the 2-6 age bracket after seeking due regulatory permissions. The children would be followed up for six months after being given two doses of Covovax, the official added.

The American biotechnology firm Novavax has been branded Covovax in India and SII in partnership with Novavax, is expected to launch Covovax for children by June. Covovax is a recombinant nanoparticle protein-based vaccine — NVX-CoV2373. The SII will submit the interim trial findings on safety and immunogenicity after 3 months of the advanced pediatric clinical trial for licensure.

Experts are of the view that Covid vaccination can prevent children from contracting or spreading SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19 and is also an important measure against severe Covid in children with underlying health conditions such as obesity, diabetes and asthma. So, the Drugs Controller General of India had issued emergency use authorization for Covovax, for use in adults 18 and above in December 2021.

Source: ET Healthworld