New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi is about to start recruiting for clinical trials of the Covaxin vaccine in children aged 6 to 12. There are reports that recruitment for the clinical trial of the first locally developed COVID-19 vaccine in children will begin on Tuesday, June 15. This will be followed by the clinical trial on children in the 2 to 6 year age group.
The PTI news agency quoted Dr. Sanjay Rai, professor at the Community Medicine Center at AIIMS, who confirmed the development as saying that “The recruitment process for the clinical trial of the Covaxin in children in the group d age 6 to 12 will start from Tuesday. “
According to the report, AIIMS Delhi has already completed recruiting child volunteers between the ages of 12 and 18 and they have received the first dose of Covaxin.
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Previously, VK Paul, Member (Health), Niti Aayog said: “Covaxin has been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), for phase II / III clinical trials in the age group 2 to 18 years old.
After witnessing the havoc created by the second wave of Covid, experts have continually suggested that India needs to prepare for the third which will primarily affect children. The only possible way to protect children is to have them immunized.
However, the vaccines used in India – Covaxin, Covishield and Sputnik V – have not been approved for use in children.