In the midst of combating the Omicron Covid-19 variety, India is preparing to take a significant step forward in its fight against the worldwide pandemic, as the country will begin distributing vaccine weapons to kids in the New Year. As the nation waits to see how the critical vaccination push will unfold, it has been stated that the Covaxin vaccine would most likely be the sole Covid-19 vaccine that will be in charge of providing doses to youngsters aged 15 to 18.
In a televised address on Saturday, December 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that immunization against Covid-19 will begin on January 3, 2022, for youngsters aged 15 to 18. He declared that youngsters will be immunized using Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, as well as a vaccination push for the elderly population, or anyone over the age of 60.
The prophylactic dose will also be accessible for individuals over the age of 60, and Narendra Modi has urged them to follow their doctor’s advice if they have comorbidities. Covaxin is the only vaccination that will be offered to youngsters aged 15 to 18. According to PTI, the source stated, “For the time being, Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin is the only Covid-19 vaccine that will be delivered to youngsters aged 15 to 18 who will be immunized on January 3. This group is expected to encompass between seven and eight crore people.”
According to the government, Covaxin offers greater benefits for children and has demonstrated a very good immune response in children throughout studies. Dr NK Arora, Chairman of India’s Covid-19 working group of the National Technical Advisory Group of Immunization (NTAGI), said ANI on Sunday, “Children between the ages of 12 and 18, particularly those between the ages of 15 and 18, are very much like adults. According to our research inside the nation, about two-thirds of the deaths caused by Covid in India happened in this age range. As a result, this choice was made primarily to safeguard the teenagers.”
Dr Arora stated that the vaccine showed a good immunological response during testing after the Drugs Controller General of India granted Emergency Use Authorization for Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for patients aged 15 to 18. He stated, “The key is that we now have a vaccination that is safe for youngsters. In clinical studies, Covaxin demonstrated a very good immunological response in children. In fact, it is somewhat superior to grown-ups. Second, this vaccination is safe, and even local symptoms such as discomfort and swelling in the arms are significantly lower in children compared to adults. We would wish to provide this protection to our adolescent population.”
He stated that the time interval between two doses of the Covaxin vaccine for children will be four weeks, despite the fact that the disease’s consequences are substantially less, many parents are still hesitant to send their children to school. As a result, they will gain confidence as a result of this vaccine effort. It’s a terrific New Year’s present for our teenagers, in my opinion. In his speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India will launch the world’s first DNA-based needle-free Covid-19 vaccine, Zydus Cadila’s ZyCoV-D.
According to sources, the interval between the second and third doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, known as the precaution dosage, is anticipated to be nine to twelve months, and appropriate changes to the Cowin site are being made to record the new category of vaccination.
Following the approval for emergency use in children, Covaxin maker Bharat Biotech has said, “Covaxin is formulated uniquely such that the same dosage can be administered to adults and children. We have documented excellent safety and immunogenicity data readouts in children. We look forward to Covaxin providing similar levels of protection for adults and children alike. Bharat Biotech thanks Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modiji, for his visionary leadership during this pandemic. Bharat Biotech is also thankful to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, NITI Aayog, DCGI, and NTAGI for their diligent review of all data and their fastidious approval process.”
Also Read: The surge in the number of Omicron cases in Delhi and other parts of India.