AIIMS Delhi to start second dose trial of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin on 2-6 years old children by next week

New Delhi: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi will commence the second dose trial of Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine, Covaxin, for children aged 2-6 years.

According to ANI reports, sources on Thursday (July 22, 2021) revealed that as part of its COVID-19 vaccination trials for children, Bharat Biotech is likely to administer the second dose of Covaxin to children aged between 2 and 6 years next week.

Sources also revealed that the children, in the above-mentioned age group, have already received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

AIIMS Delhi is one of the trial centres for the vaccine for those below 18 years. The sources added that the second dose of Covaxin has already been administered to children in the age group of 6-12 years at AIIMS, Delhi.

Additionally, the results of clinical trials are expected to come in one month after the completion of trials of all age groups. The trial is being conducted in three phases by segregating children into categories according to their age. 

The first trial was started in the age group of 12-18 years followed by the age group of 6-12 years and 2-6 years which are currently undergoing trials.

Recently, the Centre informed the Delhi High Court that clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines for children under 18 years of age were to get completed soon.

Meanwhile, the government officials had also informed the Supreme Court earlier, that Zydus Cadila’s DNA vaccine has concluded its clinical trial for the age group of 12 to 18.

“It is submitted that Zydus Cadila, which is developing DNA vaccines has concluded its clinical trial for between the age group of 12 to 18 and subject to the statutory permissions, the same may be available in near future for children of the age group of 12 to 18 years of age,” Centre had said, adding that achieving 100 percent vaccination in the shortest time possible is Centre’s topmost priority and all efforts are being made to achieve it.

(With ANI inputs)