On the 7th of June, screening of the children selected for the trial of COVAXIN, one of the vaccines against the Wuhan virus (Novel Coronavirus,) started at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS,) Delhi.
Manufactured by the Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech International Private Limited, COVAXIN trials began on the children between 2 years and 18 years old at the AIIMS Delhi. The trial on children between the age group of 12 to 18, has already started at the AIIMS Patna, based on which the AIIMS would decide if the COVAXIN jab is suitable for children.
The trial is to be conducted on 525 healthy volunteers, who would get the two doses of COVAXIN at day 0 and day 28. However, as of now only the screening process has started at the AIIMS Delhi and actual trials are yet to begin.
Dr. Sanjay Rai, the Professor at the Centre for Community Medicine at the AIIMS Delhi, said, “The screening of children for conducting a trial of COVAXIN has started. Participants would be given the vaccine after their screening reports come.”
The trials of COVID-19 vaccine for children started after the Drugs Control General of India approved to begin the trials. The decision was taken amid the upcoming third wave of the deadly Wuhan virus, which is said to be dangerous for children. The medical experts have continuously suggested that it is necessary for India to prepare for the third wave of the Wuhan virus, which primarily would affect the children in the nation. The only way possible to protect the children is to get them vaccinated.
Currently India is administering three vaccines to people, one is COVAXIN, second is Covishield by the Serum Institute of India and the third is Russia made Sputnik V. However, all the three vaccines are not approved for the children yet.
