In𒀰dia's drug regulator has granted emergency use authorisation for Biological E's COVID-19 vaccine Corbevax for those aged five to 12 years and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for children in the age group of six to 12 years, official 👍sources said on Tuesday.
The approval by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) comes following recommendations by the Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID🔯-19 of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation(C♊DSCO).
The SEC had last week reviewed the application of both the companies seeking emergency use authorisation for Corbevax and Covaxin for use in children of five to 12 years and s🍸ix to 12 years age group, respectively.
Biological E's Corbevax is being used to inoculate children against COVID-19 in the age group of 12 to 14 years. Covaxin has been granted Emergency Use Listing (EUL) by the DCGI🌟 for the age group of 12 to 18 years on December 24, 2021.
India began 🍰inoculating children aged 12-14 on March 16. The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. Vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2 last year.
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 last year for people over 60 years of age and those aged 45 and above🔴 with specified co-morbid conditions. India launched vaccination for all people aged more than 45 years from April 1 last y🅘ear. The government then decided to expand its vaccination drive by allowing everyone above 18 years of age to be inoculated against the viral disease from May 1 last year.
The next phase of vaccination commenced on January 3 for adolescents in the age group of 15-18 years. India began administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and abov🌺e with comorbidities from Ja🌜nuary 10.
Precaution doseඣs of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years were allowed at private vaccination centres from April 10.
(With PTI inputs)
NSD
