The government will take a final decision on inoculating children and adolescents against coronavirus according to the principle of overall scientific motivation as well as the supply statu of vaccines available for those below 18 year olds, COVID Task Force primary V K Paul said on Sunday.
Paul, who has been playing a key role in the government’s efforts in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, likewise cautioned that even though infections are coming down and the second beckon is receding, it will not be fair now to say that the worst is over since many countries have considered more than two waves.
Currently, three inoculations — Covishield, Covaxin, and Sputnik V being administered in the country are only for those above 18 years of age. All of them are two-dose vaccines.
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Zydus Cadila’s indigenously developed needle-free COVID-1 9 vaccine ZyCoV-D is set to become the first vaccine that will be available in India for those in the age group of 12 -1 8 years. It has received Emergency Use Authorisation( EUA ).
“We do know that various countries have introduced vaccination for adolescents( beings) and children. We will take a final decision based on the overall scientific motivation and the render statu of “their childrens” licensed vaccines, going forward, ” Paul said in an interview.
An expert panel of India’s central remedy arbiter has recommended awarding EUA to Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for children and adolescents in the 2-18 years age group with certain conditions.
If approved by the Drugs Controller General of India( DCGI ), it will be the second vaccine after ZyCoV-D to get EUA for apply among those below 18 years.
The National Technical Advisory Working group on Immunisation( NTAGI) is looking at how ZyCov-D should be situated for most optimum use.
According to Paul, Covaxin is a part of the adult vaccination programme and how to provision the vaccine, if at all for children, has to be also examined in the totality of the requirements of the vaccination programme.
“A pragmatic decision( on vaccination of children and adolescents) can be taken( exclusively) by balancing the give and the potential eligibility, ” he said.
While noting it will not be possible now to give a particular timeline on when COVID vaccination will start for children, Paul said, “The preparation for incorporation of Zydus Cadila’s vaccine into the vaccination programme is proceeding well, civilize is already being held. NTAGI advice for the best use of the vaccine is explored. So soon, this will be wheeled out”.
According to Paul, children are part and parcel of the chains of COVID transmission and are infected in large numbers. At the same time, COVID infections in children are very mild or asymptomatic, and that is one side of the story.
On the other side, he said that once there is enough vaccine available that can be used in children, “so why not protect them”.
Schools have reopened in many territories, mainly for higher classes.
When asked whether the worst of the pandemic is over, Paul said, “It is reassuring that the number of COVID occurrences are currently in the reject and the second largest motion is now subsiding, but to say that the worst is over will not be fair because we have seen in other nations there have been more than two waves”.
Cautioning that “the two countries ” is passing through a time when there was still carnivals and potential roundups, he said this is a critical phase as the virus can spread again.
“We have is evident that even in other countries where inoculation coverage is good, the proliferation in the pandemic can happen and has happened.
“Therefore, certainly we should not assume that this situation of the declining trend will continue and surely we should not think that the worst is over, we have to be ever wary, ” he emphasised.
While stressing that the vaccination programme has are caught up gargantuan rapidity, Paul also said that states which are for whatever rationales lagging behind must work hard and must push vaccination.
“Now, of course, there is no dearth , no ineffectivenes of vaccine furnish. They are as of today 10 crore dosages of inoculations with the state governments for the vaccination program, ” he said.
As the supply situation is excellent, Paul said the states must ensure that they reach out to those who are left out in the vaccination programme.
“Given the present working magnanimous vaccine give statu and the performance of the vaccine implementation program, it is well within our appreciation to accomplish universal vaccination of the adult person, ” he asserted.
On some reports that India simply will not have enough syringes for COVID inoculations if every single adult is to be fully inoculated by the end of its first year, Paul said, “there is no problem of syringe availability, we are now in a good shape”.
The country recorded 14,146 fresh COVID infections in a era while active subjects declined to 1,95, 846, the lowest in 220 epoches, according to the Union Health Ministry’s data released on Sunday.
Edited by Megha Reddy
Read more: yourstory.com
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