COVID-19 vaccine for children above 2 years likely by Sep-Oct: AIIMS Director

The trial run of the coronavirus vaccine for children is underway in India. If the results are in favour, then vaccination of children might start from September-October, AIIMS Delhi Director Dr Randeep Guleria has said.

In an interview with news agency ANI, Dr Guleria said that Bharat Biotech and other companies are doing trials at a very fast pace and hoped that data will lead to approvals so that there is a vaccine for children in the country by September-October. Covaxin's data for children after completion of phase two or three trials is expected by that time, he said.

He noted that even though children usually have a mild disease, there is a need to develop COVID-19 vaccines for them.

Covaxin is an indigenous vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with ICMR.

"Children usually have the mild disease but we need to develop vaccines for children because if we have to control this pandemic everyone should be vaccinated. Bharat Biotech and other companies are doing trials at a very fast pace as parents have come forward with their children for the trials," he said.

"One is hopeful that trial will be completed early and possibly with follow up of about two-three months, we shall have data by September. Hopefully, by that time, approvals will be there so that by September-October, we'll have vaccines from our country which we can give to children," he added.

Dr Guleria said Bharat Biotech is conducting trials between the age group of 2 to 18 years and "this covers a wide spectrum".

Asked about Zydus Cadila vaccine, he said it is a DNA vaccine, a new platform is being used and "it is something that we should proud of".

He added that it is a platform for which research has not been done in past in the country.

"The data is still being collated and one is hoping that they will be able to submit the data to the DCGI for regulatory approval. It will depend on the company how quickly it is able to collate the data and give it to the regulatory authority," he said.

Asked about Pfizer CEO stating that the company is in the "final stages" of getting approval for its COVID-19 vaccine in India, Dr Guleria said that the firm has been in negotiations for some time and these would have possibly reached the final stage.

"One is hopeful that it should occur because the negotiations with the company is going on for quite some time. I am sure now they are reaching a stage where final sort understanding will be there," he said.

(With ANI inputs)