DCGI approves Serum Institute’s Covovax for emergency use for 7-11 years

The Drugs Controller General of India DCGI approved Serum Institute's COVID 19 vaccine Covovax for restricted emergency use in children aged 7 to 11 years, subject to certain conditions, official sources said.

The DCGI's nod came after a subject expert committee on COVID 19 of the CSDCO recommended granting emergency use authorisation to Covovax for the age group of 7 to 11 years.

The director, Government and Regulatory Affairs at Serum Institute of India, Prakash Kumar Singh, had submitted an application to the DCGI on March 16, according to official sources.

An official source said that the SEC last week deliberated on the EUA application of SII and recommended granting emergency use authorisation for Covovax for children aged 7 to 11 years.

The expert panel asked more data about the application from the Pune-based Pune-based firm in its last meeting in April.

On December 28th, the DCGI approved Covovax for restricted use in adult emergency situations and in the 12 to 17 years age group subject to certain conditions on March 9.

The country began inoculating children aged 12 -- 14 years from March 16. The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 last year, with healthcare workers getting inoculated in the first phase. The frontline workers were vaccinated from February 2 last year.

The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination began on March 1st of last year for people over 60 years of age and those over 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.

India introduced a vaccination for all people aged over 45 years from April 1 last year. The vaccine drive was expanded by the government, allowing people over 18 years of age to be inoculated against the disease from May 1 last year.

The next vaccine phase began on January 3 for adolescents in the age group of 15 -- 18 years.

India began administering vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10. Precaution dose of COVID 19 vaccines for all aged over 18 years began at private vaccine centres on April 10.