COVID-19 vaccine trials on children: India’s pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech on June 3, 2021, began the clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine COVAXIN on children aged between 2 to 18 years at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna, Bihar.
All 15 children volunteers for the COVAXIN trials underwent the COVID-19 screening test: RT-PCT, Antibody Test, and General check before receiving their vaccine shots.
Three children out of 15 volunteers were found fit for COVAXIN vaccine trials after screening. Children with antibodies could not proceed with the trials.
Three children who received their first shot were in the age group of 12 to 18 years. The children were kept under observation for two hours after being administered with 0.5 ml dose of vaccine in the muscle, informed Dr Sanjeev Kumar, Nodal-in-Charge for COVID, AIIMS, Patna.
The children will be administered a second dose after four weeks.
COVID-19 vaccine trials on children to begin in June: Bharat Biotech
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on May 13, 2021, had given permission to Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech to conduct phase 2 and 3 trials of COVAXIN on children aged 2 to 18 years. The company will begin the trials on children in June 2021.
The company will source 525 healthy children volunteers in the age group 2 to 18 years at different locations: Meditrina Institute of Medical Sciences, AIIMS Delhi, and AIIMS Patna.
COVID-19 vaccine trials on children to begin soon: Centre
The Central Government on May 27, 2021, had announced that COVID-19 vaccine trials on children will begin soon in the country.
Dr Vinod Paul, the chair of National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration and Member (Health) NITI Aayoga announced on behalf of the government and also cleared few myths around COVID-19 vaccination that ‘Centre is not taking any steps towards vaccinating children’.
Paul clarified that as of now, WHO has no recommendation on vaccination on children. Also, no country currently is administering vaccines to children. However, there have been encouraging studies about the safety of vaccines in children.
“Trials on children in India will begin soon,” Paul said. He also said that vaccinating children should not be done because of panic. More details on the decision to vaccinate children will be available by our scientists after adequate data based on trials.
Moderna is conducting trials on infants and children
Moderna, the first company in the US to begin COVID-19 trials on infants and children in the age group 6 months to 12 years old.
Under the phase 2 and 3 trials by Moderna called the KidCOVE, the participants were administered with the mRNA-1273 vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccination of children aged 12 years and above around the world
The European Commission on May 28, 2021, authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on children aged 12 to 15 years.
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has already been authorized for emergency use on children aged 12 years and above in the European Union, the US, Singapore, Canada, and the UAE.
Germany announced that it will begin vaccination on children between 12 – 16 years old from June 7 onwards.
Italy is also in the process to expand the vaccination program to children over 12 years.
Japan had approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in February 2021 to be administered to children between 12 to 15 years.
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