Vaccination for children: DGCI approves Covaxin for restricted emergency use in children aged 6-12 years

India's fight against coronavirus has now become stronger as the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has given approval to the Bharat Biotech Vaccine for use in children aged between 6-12 years on April 26, 2022. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted emergency use authorisation to the Covaxin. The Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya gave this information through his official Twitter handle.

The DCGI also granted emergency use authorisation to Corbevax for children between the age of 5-12 years and the 2 doses of 'ZyCoV-D' of Zydus Cadila vaccine for the age group above 12.

"India's fight against Covid is now stronger @CDSCO_INDIA_INF has 'Covaxin' for ages >6 to <12 'Corbevax' for ages >5 to <12 2 doses of 'ZyCoV-D' for the age group above 12. 'Restricted Use in Emergency Situations' has been approved," Mandaviya tweeted.

भारत की कोविड से लड़ाई अब और अधिक मज़बूत @CDSCO_INDIA_INF ने

>6 से <12 आयुवर्ग के लिए 'Covaxin'

>5 से <12 आयुवर्ग के लिए 'Corbevax'

12 से ऊपर के आयुवर्ग के लिए 'ZyCoV-D' की 2 डोज को

'Restricted Use in Emergency Situations' की मंज़ूरी दी है।

— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) April 26, 2022

The children 6 to 12 years old can get Covaccine. This vaccine takes two doses and its doses are given at an interval of 28 to 40 days. The vaccine trial of Bharat Biotech Vaccine was conducted for children above 2 years of age. Bharat Biotech completed the trial of the vaccine on children above the age of 2 years in September 2021 itself. However, at present, Covaccine is only approved for use in children above the age of 6 years.

Covid-19 cases in India
Corona cases have started increasing once again across the country. With 2,483 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, India's total tally of active cases increased to 15,636, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated Tuesday.

The active cases comprise 0.04 percent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded as 98.75 percent. The daily positivity rate was recorded as 0.55 percent and the weekly positivity rate as 0.58 percent, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,25,23,311, with new 1,970 recoveries in the last 24 hours. Whereas the cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive have exceeded 187.95 crores. As many as 83.54 crore total covid tests have been conducted so far and around 4,49,197 tests conducted in the last 24 hours.