Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech will start its COVID-19 vaccine trials for kids next week. A few months ago, the pharmaceutical company began its vaccine trials for kids between the 2-6 age group. Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin is currently approved in India for emergency use. It is available for all adults above 18 years of age. However, the company has also started children’s trials.
Bharat Biotech Continues its COVID-19 Vaccine Trials for Kids
Indian pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech said that it will start its COVID-19 vaccine trials for kids next week. It has already started the trials a few months ago. But those trials were only for the vaccine’s first dose. Therefore, now the company has started its trials for the second dose. However, the company will perform its trials on kids between the 2-6 age group. It has already conducted the second dose trials on 6–12-year-olds.
Trials for the First Dose is Already Conducted
Experts had warned against a Covid third wave when the country was battling with the second wave itself. They predicted that the third wave could hit India anytime soon. Henceforth, Bharat Biotech began its COVID-19 vaccine trials for kids. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi and Patna, are conducting the trials on the company’s behalf. However, the company has already conducted the trials for the first dose. And now, they are going to conduct the trials for the second dose from next week.
Bharat Biotech to Present its Data Over COVID-19 Vaccine Trials for Kids in August
Over 175 children from different age groups have participated in the trials. The officials have divided the children into four different categories. However, children between 6 to 12 years of age have already received the vaccine’s second dose. The rest participants are yet to receive the second jab. Besides that, the company will conduct its COVID-19 vaccine trials for kids early next week. Once each and every participant has received both doses, the company will present the results in August this year. Based on these results, the government will make a decision regarding the children’s vaccines. On the other hand, the AIIMS director said in June that Covaxin for kids will get approved in September 2021.
Another Children’s COVID-19 Vaccine on the Way
Besides Bharat Biotech, another company is preparing vaccines for children. The Ahmedabad-based pharmaceutical company, Zydus Cadila is also coming up with its COVID-19 vaccine for kids. Known as ZyCov-D, the vaccine is especially meant for children between 12-17. It is a three-dose vaccine and hopefully very effective. However, the company will need to present more data in order to get emergency authorization.
