Zydus Covid-19 vaccine for 12- to 18-year-olds from September: Expert panel head

The trial data for Zydus Cadila for 12 to 18-year-olds is expected to be available sooner than Covaxin

In a significant step towards vaccinating children against Covid-19 in India, Dr NK Arora, head of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration said that the Zydus Cadila vaccine will be available to vaccinate teens from ages 12 to 18 by September.

Emergency use authorisation for the Zydus vaccine will come within weeks, Arora told NDTV.

He also said that vaccination for the same age group with Covaxin is likely to begin soon after (September-end). Covaxin is currently conducting phase III trials for the 12-18 year age group.

"I think sometime in the third quarter or by early January-February we should be able to give it (Covaxin) to 2 to 18-year-olds," Arora told the TV channel.

Read | How does the Delta variant dodge the immune system?

If approved, ZyCoV-D will be the world's first DNA vaccine. It makes use of a portion of the genetic code - DNA or RNA - in the SARS-CoV-2 virus to stimulate an immune response against its spike protein.

DNA vaccines differ from other approved Covid-19 shots, which are based on new mRNA technology such as in those from Pfizer and Moderna, and established technology like viral vectors, as with AstraZeneca.

Dr Arora's remarks come as India gears for a third wave of Covid-19 that some experts believe will adversely affect children.

"The issue of school opening and other things are very important and those are being discussed actively,” he said noting that vaccination for children is key as the pandemic has been a big deterrent in the education and development of school-going childen.

Apart from vaccines, states — such as Kerala — have already implemented ways to improve and increase paediatric care in hospitals.

Read | Centre announces Rs 23,123 cr package to fight Covid-19

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday unveiled the second phase of the Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package that will be implemented over the next nine months till March 2022. This came as the prime minister chaired the first meeting with his new Council of Ministers

Under the new package, the Centre would provide Rs 15,000 crore and states Rs 8,123 crore, and the plan would be implemented jointly by them across all the 736 districts to improve medical infrastructure at primary and district health centres.

An official statement said states and UTs would be supported to create paediatric units in all 736 districts and to establish Paediatric Centre of Excellence in each state and UT (either in medical colleges, state government hospitals or central hospitals such as AIIMS, INIs, etc) for providing tele-ICU services, mentoring and technical hand-holding to the district paediatric units.

(With agency inputs)