Covaxin, Zydus Vaccine Update
Covaxin, Zydus vaccine being tested on children for efficacy: Govt
On a day when the UK approved for P-Fizer's Covid - 19 vaccine for children above the age of 12 years, the central government said clinical trials of Covaxin and the vaccine developed by Zydus are on for children in India.
Responding to a question on whether the government will allow use of Pfizer vaccine on children since the UK has allowed it, Dr VK Paul, Member (health), Niti Aayog said trials to test efficacy of vaccines on children are on in India.
"On the use of which vaccine to be used for children, please remember the child cohort in India is not a small cohort. My rough guess is we would need about 25 crore doses. We need so many dosesand we cannot vaccinate some and leave the rest," Dr Paul said.
He added that Bharat Biotech is already conducting trials of Covaxin on children and these trials will not take long because they are immunogenicity trials.
Zydus vaccine is already being tested on children. So, when Zydus applies for license of its Covid-19 vaccine, probably in the next two weeks, maybe we have enough data to also take a view on whether that vaccine can be given to children. These matters are being continuously deliberated," Dr VK Paul said.
Data on Coxavin being shared with WHO
Responding to a question on when Covaxin is expected to get a nod from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Paul said data sharing is going on with WHO to give recognition to Bharat Biotech's Covaxin. He said the government wants to achieve this "milestone" as soon as possible.
"We have been working with both Bharat Biotech and the WHO to make it happen. There is data sharing going on and we are very keen that this milestone is achieved as soon as possible. We are pursuing it," he said.
On May 24, Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech conveyed to the government that it has already submitted 90 per cent of the documents to the WHO for obtaining emergency use listing (EUL) for the Covaxin vaccine.
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The latest 'Status of COVID-19 Vaccines within WHO EUL/PQ evaluation process' guidance document dated May 18 on the WHO website said Bharat Biotech submitted EOI (Expression of Interest) on April 19 and that "more information (is) required".
A pre-submission meeting is expected "to be planned May-June 2021", the guidance document said. According to the WHO, submissions to it for prequalification or listing under the emergency use procedure are confidential.
