AIIMS Delhi To Begin Covaxin Trials On Children Today Amid Third Wave Scare

Bharat Biotech's Covaxin has been approved by the DCGI, for Phase II/III clinical trials in the age group of 2 to 18 years

Image: PTI

New Delhi: After warning from experts about the potential third Covid wave which is more likely to affect children, vaccine trials on children have begun in India. After AIIMS Patna, now Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is starting the clinical trials of the indigenous Bharat Biotech's Covid-19 vaccine "Covaxin" on children on Monday, news agency ANI said on Sunday, citing sources.

AIIMS Patna has been already been conducting Paediatric trials of Covaxin after Bharat Biotech gained approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to begin paediatric clinical studies on May 11.

At AIIMS Patna, trials for children aged 12 to 18 have begun. Now, AIIMS Delhi will conduct clinical trials of Covaxin to tests if Bharat Biotech's vaccine is suitable for children between 2 and 18 years old.

Earlier, VK Paul, Member (Health), Niti Aayog had said, “Covaxin has been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), for Phase II/III clinical trials in the age group of 2 to 18 years."

Will India suffer from the third Covid wave in September?

NITI Aayog member VK Saraswat said that India's epidemiologists have given very clear indications that the third wave of Covid-19 is inevitable, and it is likely to start from September-October. Therefore the country should vaccinate more and more people. He said, "I think we have done reasonably well. We have managed the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic very well, as a result, Covid-19 numbers have come down significantly.

"... we have been able to manage (the second wave Covid-19 ) with the help of our science and technology activities, creating oxygen banks, making large number of industries to support oxygen supply. Using railways, using airports, using the military for transporting liquid oxygen," news agency PTI quoted Saraswat as saying.

 

After witnessing the havoc created by the second Covid wave, experts have continuously suggested that it is necessary for India to prepare for the third one which primarily will affect the children. The only way possible to protect children is to get them vaccinated. However, the vaccines being used in India - Covaxin, Covishield and Sputnik V - have not been approved for use on children.